Elon Musk‘s relationship with Donald Trump and the Republican Party has experienced a dramatic shift. Once seen as a powerful ally, Musk has now found himself sidelined, as both Trump and the GOP distance themselves from the Tesla CEO. What led to this fall from grace, and what does it mean for Musk’s political influence moving forward? In early 2024, Musk was on top of the world. As the richest person globally and a key figure in the tech world, he quickly became a fixture in Trump’s orbit. Musk’s vocal support for Trump and his actions to back him financially made him one of the most influential figures in the 2024 election cycle. Musk poured over $290 million into efforts to reelect Trump, further solidifying his role as a powerful political ally, reports Politico.
Trump’s administration even gave Musk a formal position in the government, appointing him to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force created to cut government waste and fraud. Musk was a frequent presence in Washington, attending Cabinet meetings, speaking at press conferences, and traveling on Air Force One with the president. Trump even referred to him as his “First Buddy,” showcasing the close relationship.
Is there a fall out between Trump and Musk?
However, the once-unshakable bond between Trump and Musk has since begun to unravel. Politico reports that, as of April 2025, Trump has hardly mentioned Musk in any of his public communications, including on his social media platform, Truth Social. The transformation from close collaborator to distant figure has been stark, and it’s clear that the GOP has grown increasingly disillusioned with the Tesla CEO.
Musk’s influence diminishes
In the first months of 2024, Musk was a prominent figure in GOP fundraising efforts and was actively involved in the political sphere. But following a series of high-profile missteps, including his disastrous involvement in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, his influence started to wane. Musk spent an unprecedented $21 million backing the campaign of a conservative candidate, Brad Schimel, but the candidate lost by 10 points. Musk’s infamous antics, like wearing a cheese head hat and attempting to sway voters with extravagant gifts, were seen as tone-deaf and insulting by many. This loss, compounded by Musk’s controversial behaviour, marked the beginning of his decline in the eyes of Republicans. A source close to the GOP summed it up: “He’s finished, done, gone. He polls terrible. People hate him.” This embarrassing loss was a significant blow to Musk’s standing in Republican circles, where his political acumen had previously been held in high regard. Musk’s influence began to fade, and GOP members began to quietly distance themselves from him.
The decline of Musk’s business ventures
Musk’s political troubles were paralleled by struggles in his business ventures. Tesla’s image, once seen as an innovative leader in the automotive industry, has taken a major hit. The much-hyped Cybertruck launch, now regarded as a massive failure, hurt the brand’s reputation. Furthermore, Tesla’s first-quarter 2025 profits plummeted by 71%, prompting Musk to scale back his political involvement and focus on salvaging the company. Musk’s various other ventures—X (formerly Twitter) and xAI—have also faced challenges. Most notably, trust in X’s new AI assistant, Grok, took a massive hit after an internal employee manipulated the bot to spread controversial and harmful conspiracy theories. These ongoing issues have raised questions about Musk’s ability to juggle his numerous business interests, leading some to wonder whether he’s spread too thin.
In April 2025, Trump even began to scale back his support for Musk. While Trump did invite Musk to a Cabinet meeting marking his first 100 days in office and continued to acknowledge him publicly, their once tight-knit collaboration has loosened considerably. GOP officials are privately expressing relief that Musk is no longer a major figure in their political strategies. Even within Trump’s own administration, Musk’s involvement in DOGE has been questioned. Although DOGE employees continue to work on efficiency measures, reports suggest that Musk’s promises of massive cost savings have fallen short. Despite claims of saving $170 billion, these savings are likely offset by lost revenue from cuts to critical programs like the IRS’s audit division.
Musk’s future in Trump’s government
Although Musk’s political clout has been severely diminished, he remains one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the world. His fortune gives him continued leverage, but his credibility in GOP circles has been severely damaged. Republicans are no longer as eager to promote Musk as they once were, but they are still quietly hoping that his wealth and social media influence will benefit their campaigns in the future. For now, Trump has not completely severed ties with Musk, but the bromance that once dominated headlines seems to be in the past. As Republicans recalibrate their strategies for 2024 and beyond, Musk’s role in shaping the political landscape remains uncertain.