‘A joke that paints that person as pathetic’: An MSNBC anchor believes Trump is simply humiliating Elon Musk

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell believes Donald Trump is methodically humiliating Elon Musk, despite—or perhaps because of—the tech billionaire’s unwavering support and $119 million campaign contribution.

The anchor laid out his case Wednesday night, focusing on Trump’s public ridicule of Musk during a House Republican conference. “Elon won’t go home. I can’t get rid of him,” Trump told the lawmakers about Musk’s constant presence at Mar-a-Lago, prompting what O’Donnell described as “that uncomfortable laugh” from the room.

The mockery comes as Musk transitions from fist-pumping campaign mega-donor to potential administration figure. Trump named him co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but O’Donnell characterized it as a “fake job” with no real authority since only Congress can approve spending cuts.

Former Trump White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci sees trouble ahead for the relationship. “Elon Musk and others right now, they’re in the honeymoon moment with Donald Trump, but they will come to the Hades moment,” Scaramucci said in an interview. “You’re not going to be able to do some of the things that he wants you to do.”

The dynamic appears increasingly one-sided. While Musk trails Trump at Mar-a-Lago and attends congressional meetings at his side, his influence shows early limits. His preferred candidate for Senate Republican leader, Rick Scott, lost decisively to John Thune in Wednesday’s leadership vote.

Yet Musk may have compelling reasons to maintain the relationship. Tesla’s stock predictably surged 13% immediately after Trump’s victory, immediately adding billions to Musk’s net worth. His companies, like SpaceX, rely heavily on government contracts, while Tesla faces ongoing federal safety investigations, and he would like to sidestep or get thrown out altogether—which surely feels worth the money spent and the embarrassment. For Musk, there are some things clearly worth eating shit for.

O’Donnell argues Trump understands this leverage perfectly: “It is very likely that Donald Trump is the one sucking up to Elon Musk in private because Donald Trump knows that he needs Elon Musk’s money,” the anchor said. “But for Donald Trump, the only thing that matters is what happens in public.”

Frankly, Trump also knows exactly what he can get away with regarding the dollar. This has been his entire infinite game—extract the most out of situations where people stand to gain exponentially but are still beholden to you. This predicament can only be the case if you know your operation isn’t as clean as it should be and you desire ways to circumvent whatever will save money for fees or items needed to clear regulations. This public humiliation follows a pattern, according to O’Donnell. Trump’s “twisted psyche demands that he do” this to demonstrate dominance, creating a spectacle of the world’s richest man reduced to following him around “the way Franklin Delano Roosevelt let his little dog follow him.”

The question now is whether this delicate dance can last. As Scaramucci warns, those working for Trump must eventually “put themselves in these moral pretzels that Donald Trump wants to twist you into.” For now, though, both men appear to be getting what they want—Trump, his public displays of dominance; Musk, his proximity to power. The cost to Musk’s dignity appears to be part of the bargain.