Utilizing the ability of the social media platform he owns and the specter of spending tens of millions towards Republicans in primaries, Elon Musk successfully tanked a congressional spending invoice that might have stored the federal government working.
The world’s richest man once more flexed the muscle he gained through the 2024 election, by which he spent huge to assist elect Donald Trump and unfold of rightwing rumors on X. For the reason that spending invoice was launched, Musk has fired off tweet after tweet attacking it, amplifying false claims about what it consists of and dooming its destiny.
“‘Shutting down’ the federal government (which doesn’t really shut down important features btw) is infinitely higher than passing a horrible invoice,” Musk wrote in a single submit.
He and the account for the “division of presidency effectivity” or Doge, a authorities physique that Trump says he’ll create , claimed the invoice would considerably elevate pay for members of Congress – it wouldn’t. He claimed it consists of funding for bioweapons – it doesn’t. He erroneously shared that it could direct billions for a stadium in DC. He offensively used the phrase “retard” to joke about language modifications within the invoice, then joked additional about his use of the phrase.
Trump and the vice-president-elect JD Vance opposed the invoice, releasing a press release about it, however didn’t converse out publicly to almost the diploma Musk did. A supply within the president-elect’s circle advised Axios that Musk doesn’t overshadow the president, saying: “There are issues Elon doesn’t agree with us on that he ain’t getting.”
Musk urged folks to contact their lawmakers to kill the invoice. And when the invoice was successfully killed, he claimed the victory was the voice of the folks: “America is for you, the beloved folks.”
Musk has no formal function within the second Trump administration except for being tapped to helm an exterior group, however he confirmed this week the acute affect he has on the get together – and on the incoming presidency.
The ordeal is an indication of what’s to come back for Musk in his influential function, with a social media platform he can use to go after these he disagrees with. His tweets obtain tens of millions of impressions and sign to the rightwing on-line ecosystem what the strains of assault will probably be.
He has indicated that is just the start, saying no invoice must be handed till Trump takes workplace. He additionally promised that his group has “no selection” however to go after public servants as a result of “except @DOGE ends the careers of deceitful, pork-barrel politicians, the waste and corruption won’t ever cease”.
Congressional Republicans largely cheered him on. Rand Paul, the senator from Texas, urged on Thursday morning that Musk ought to change into the speaker of the Home, noting that the speaker doesn’t need to be a member of Congress, as it’s historically.
“Nothing would disrupt the swamp greater than electing Elon Musk … give it some thought … nothing’s not possible. (to not point out the enjoyment at seeing the collective institution, aka ‘uniparty,’ lose their ever-lovin’ minds),” Paul wrote on X.
Democrats referred to as Musk the president, the co-president and the fourth department of presidency, saying he’s proven he’s extra highly effective than Trump, in accordance with Axios. Mark Pocan, a Democratic consultant from Wisconsin, created AI pictures of Musk controlling Trump, together with one the place Musk is being sworn in by the incoming president. “We simply returned from the longer term and received this photograph from the inauguration,” Pocan wrote.
One piece of misinformation Musk perpetuated concerning the invoice is that it could have given lawmakers an eye-popping 40% elevate, bringing their pay from $174,000 to $243,000. That is not true – it does embrace a cost-of-living elevate of three.8%, or $6,600. The Doge tweet claiming the huge improve has not been corrected.
Dan Crenshaw, a Republican Texas congressman, was caught within the rumor mill of the pay elevate. Some accounts claimed he was the one pushing for the elevate, which Crenshaw stated was false. He responded to these accounts by calling one a “fucking mendacity piece of shit” and “fucking incel”, and one other an “nameless coward” who was “speaking shit with none proof”.
Musk responded to the claims of Crenshaw’s involvement by saying “Congress ought to solely get a elevate when the finances is balanced”.
Crenshaw then got here again at Musk with: “I like you Elon however you could take 5 seconds to test your sources earlier than highlighting backside feeders searching for clicks.”
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