The bromance may fade, but the two megalomaniacs could still reshape the US as long as Trump’s fickle affections hold

Summary

Elon Musk’s $288M donation to Trump’s campaign has secured him influence, including a leadership role in DOGE, which aggressively cuts federal programs.

While their alliance is built on shared disruption and anti-“woke” policies, tensions could rise as Musk’s unchecked power draws criticism.

Musk serves as a useful foil, deflecting attention from Trump, but could become a political liability, fueling concerns over who wields real power.

Pressure from Republicans and critics like Steve Bannon may force a reckoning before the midterms.

  • @Boddhisatva
    2•5 hours ago

    That’s not entirely true. I am not a psychiatrist but it has been claimed many times, and it seems clear to me, that Trump has narcissistic personality disorder. That combined with hordes of followers that appear to consider him a living god makes him very, very hard to shame. On the other hand, if someone like Musk were to throw a few 10s of millions or even hundreds of millions into a campaign to turn right wing media against Trump, that horde could be turned against Trump too. If the crowds withered and he were vilified in the media, Trump would quickly crumble.

    The grandiose/oblivious subtype was characterized by exaggerated self-importance, lack of remorse, interpersonal manipulativeness, seething anger, pursuit of interpersonal power, and pursuit of privilege.

    This description of the grandiose/oblivious subtype of narcissism could not be more accurate in describing trump. He also could be in the vulnerable/hypervigilant subtype as that describes him well too.

    Persons in the vulnerable/hypervigilant subtype were characterized by an exquisite sensitivity to what others are saying, a tuning in to every comment that might be critical, a shyness to the point where NPD could be confused with Avoidant PD, a proneness to shame and hurt feelings and a masochistic conviction that they have suffered more than anyone.

    The linked article further states that suicide is not uncommon in people with NPD when they feel shamed or vilified.

    Shame is often at the core of narcissistic individuals, who struggle with an acute sense of having failed in many aspects of their lives. They feel certain that others are thinking badly about them. When “caught” by someone watching them, a sense of painful humiliation may emerge. Seeing and being seen are central to narcissistic patients. They may feel that their secret sense of being “phony” or “fake” is now exposed. Suicide may feel like the only way out, especially after a devastating humiliation.

    Being mocked in the media that he thrives on combined with vanishing MAGA crowds could very well be enough to push Trump over the edge and Musk is perhaps the one person in the world that could make it happen.