‘It’s incredibly risky’: Elon Musk’s hastiness and influence is concerning political journalists
“It’s incredibly risky,” Wall Street Journal national politics reporter Vivian Salama told CNN on Wednesday, December 18, analyzing Elon Musk’s aggressive moves against a bipartisan spending bill. “Donald Trump typically likes to be his own spokesman. We saw that play out.”
The federal government edges closer to a shutdown after tech billionaire Musk’s early morning crusade against the spending bill preceded and perhaps prompted President-elect Donald Trump’s opposition, exposing potential fault lines in their political alliance.
Musk launched his offensive at 4:15 am on Wednesday on X, declaring, “This bill should not pass” before unleashing over 60 posts trashing the legislation. Hours later, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance released a statement urging Republicans to “GET SMART and TOUGH” in rejecting the deal.
The sequence raised eyebrows about who’s driving Republican policy. “Your elected representatives have heard you, and now the terrible bill is dead,” Musk posted triumphantly, though he later admitted that he could only “bring things to the attention of the people.”
Democratic critics pounced, with Rep. Pramila Jayapal asserting, “It’s clear who’s in charge, and it’s not President-elect Donald Trump.” Sen. Bernie Sanders added pointed criticism about “the richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk,” dictating legislative outcomes.
The bill’s demise leaves Congress scrambling before funding expires Friday night, December 20. Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal had included disaster aid and health care provisions before collapsing under pressure from Musk and Trump, who told NBC the plan was “unacceptable” and “a Democrat trap.”
“House Republicans will now own any harm that is visited upon the American people,” warned Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, calling it a unilateral breach of a bipartisan deal. The fallout has Johnson’s speakership hanging by a thread, with some Republicans already declaring they won’t support his January re-election bid.
The episode highlights Musk’s expanding influence after investing $277 million in Republican victories. As co-lead of Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, he’s positioned to reshape federal spending—multiple Republicans cited his arguments in opposing the bill, with Rep. Eric Burlison, for instance, celebrating Musk’s intervention and his DOGE policies.
Some Republicans have even floated Musk for Speaker, with Sen. Rand Paul suggesting “nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene echoed support, writing she’d be “open to supporting” Musk for the role.
“We had a productive conversation,” Vance told reporters after meeting with Johnson late Wednesday, attempting to smooth over the chaos. But the speed and force of Musk’s intervention stunned longtime observers. “I am struggling to recall another instance where an unelected public figure has exercised that kind of influence,” said Gordon Gray, executive director at Pinpoint Policy Institute.
With mere hours until shutdown, the question remains whether Musk’s zeal to impose his vision may test Trump’s tolerance for sharing the spotlight. For now, their combined opposition has Washington gridlocked, and scapegoated federal workers are bracing for empty paychecks over the holidays, while Musk’s rapid accumulation of political capital charts uncertain territory in American governance.
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