Did Mocking Musk Backfire? Democrats Consider a Better Relationship with the Billionaire
Democrats had become disenchanted with the world's wealthiest individual. However, some are beginning to reconsider whether this discontent was justified.
TroibNews 
Ro Khanna is exchanging texts with Elon Musk, while Josh Shapiro received a call from him, and John Fetterman has drawn comparisons between Musk and superhero Tony Stark.
As President-elect Donald Trump readies to appoint Musk as the federal government's cutter-in-chief, some ambitious Democrats are taking a more welcoming stance towards the billionaire than previous party leaders. Musk has emerged as one of the most influential figures worldwide.
“He’s had an undeniable impact on the Pennsylvania election, and I think the election overall,” Fetterman, the Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, remarked to PMG. “I’ve warned Democrats, if you’re just going to make fun of it or to dismiss it, you do it at our peril. And I think that’s very clear what happened.”
As the world's richest individual, Musk's enterprises are pivotal in shaping the future of space exploration, electric vehicles, AI, and social media. Democrats reaching out to him aim to influence someone who will possess significant public attention, regardless of his actions. They are also keen to foster his business ventures in their regions.
Several of them are considering presidential runs in 2028 and may want to maintain a favorable relationship with Musk for strategic political reasons. Musk contributed $280 million this year to support Trump and other Republican candidates.
The rapport between Democrats and Musk has been fraught in recent years. President Joe Biden criticized Musk's foreign ties as “worthy of being looked at” and denounced him as a one-time “illegal worker,” while Musk labeled Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as “puppets.” Liberals also mocked Musk's takeover of X and his campaign efforts for Trump, with vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ridiculing Musk for “skipping like a dipshit” at a rally.
However, a growing number of Democrats argue that a different approach is warranted, believing that Musk significantly aided Trump’s election. This shift reflects a broader reassessment of strategies regarding the president-elect, though it's uncertain whether other Democrats will adopt this perspective and whether they will face any repercussions.
Nevertheless, some Democrats remain cautious about Musk, who is among the billionaires and tech moguls Trump has appointed to his administration. They perceive Musk as an oligarch and express concerns about his agenda to trim the federal government alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to co-lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
“I reserve the right to be surprised, but this looks to me like a coming kleptocracy, in which all these billionaires are running the government in order to rig the rules,” Sen. Chris Murphy stated. “So I’m pretty fucking skeptical that this is a legitimate effort.”
Khanna, a House Democrat representing Silicon Valley and a potential candidate for president, has had a relationship with Musk that spans over a decade. In an interview, Khanna described him as “an extraordinary entrepreneur” and likened him to Franklin D. Roosevelt's “dollar-a-year men,” who contributed to WWII efforts for a nominal salary.
Khanna mentioned they have been in touch since Musk was chosen to lead DOGE, though he refrained from discussing the specifics of their conversations, stating that they have identified areas for potential collaboration.
“We have a candid conversation. He also knows where I disagree with him,” Khanna explained. “We need to engage these technologists and builders to be part of our coalition, but without compromising our values.”
In a recent post on X, Musk referred to Khanna as a “sensible moderate” after Khanna publicly criticized a proposed electric vehicle subsidy by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that would likely leave out Tesla. Musk did not respond to a request for comment.
Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor viewed as a top contender for the 2028 presidential race, had a brief conversation with Musk in October, during a Steelers game where Musk was seated in businessman Thomas Tull’s box. Tull and Musk were discussing investments in Pennsylvania when Shapiro was brought into the conversation.
“We did not discuss politics. We obviously have completely different views on politics, different choices and candidates,” Shapiro stated, emphasizing that the call was purely about economic development.
Fetterman, rumored to have presidential aspirations, admitted he hasn’t spoken directly with Musk but expressed willingness to collaborate to “cut waste,” acknowledging Musk’s role as an innovator who has positively impacted the American economy. He cautioned fellow Democrats against overlooking Musk’s significance.
“If our government is issuing checks for billions for his companies to rescue our astronauts, or he’s involved in things like AI and really important things, it’s like he is going to be part of this conversation,” Fetterman asserted. “And that’s a fact. And you want it to be as productive as possible.”
Even some progressive lawmakers are signaling openness to working with Musk, pushing for cuts at the Pentagon. However, their strategies may diverge from more moderate colleagues, aiming to draw focus to longstanding goals, including defense budget reductions, while also holding Trump accountable to his populist commitments.
“If Elon Musk wants to change government contracting to cut billions of dollars of waste out of the Pentagon budget, count me in,” stated Sen. Elizabeth Warren, echoing similar sentiments from Sen. Raphael Warnock, who declared, “I’ll work with whomever I have to work with, if I can, to get that done.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders also voiced support on X, stating, “Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions.”
In some respects, Democrats may be returning to a prior approach with Musk. He once identified as a Democrat and voted for Biden in 2020. During his presidency, Barack Obama met with Musk in the Oval Office and visited SpaceX.
Conversely, Musk has criticized the Biden administration for sidelining Tesla, including its exclusion from a White House electric vehicle event. The two have conflicting stances on labor organizing, with Biden backing the United Auto Workers while Musk opposes the union's efforts at his company. Musk's rare visit to the White House last year did not include a meeting with Biden himself.
During her presidential campaign, Harris likewise distanced herself from Musk, declining a proposed interview. When touring Pennsylvania in support of Trump, Musk commented, “nobody even bothers to try to kill Kamala,” suggesting it would be pointless due to her being “another puppet.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the outgoing chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, expressed a cautious stance toward Musk and DOGE.
“I never say never to working with somebody, but I got to see what it is, because there’s a lot of controversies and hypocrisies that are out there,” Jayapal stated. “I’m gonna put together my own list of where I think we should be cutting. And I have a feeling it’s not gonna be the same as their list. But I’m gonna try.”
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
As President-elect Donald Trump readies to appoint Musk as the federal government's cutter-in-chief, some ambitious Democrats are taking a more welcoming stance towards the billionaire than previous party leaders. Musk has emerged as one of the most influential figures worldwide.
“He’s had an undeniable impact on the Pennsylvania election, and I think the election overall,” Fetterman, the Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, remarked to PMG. “I’ve warned Democrats, if you’re just going to make fun of it or to dismiss it, you do it at our peril. And I think that’s very clear what happened.”
As the world's richest individual, Musk's enterprises are pivotal in shaping the future of space exploration, electric vehicles, AI, and social media. Democrats reaching out to him aim to influence someone who will possess significant public attention, regardless of his actions. They are also keen to foster his business ventures in their regions.
Several of them are considering presidential runs in 2028 and may want to maintain a favorable relationship with Musk for strategic political reasons. Musk contributed $280 million this year to support Trump and other Republican candidates.
The rapport between Democrats and Musk has been fraught in recent years. President Joe Biden criticized Musk's foreign ties as “worthy of being looked at” and denounced him as a one-time “illegal worker,” while Musk labeled Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as “puppets.” Liberals also mocked Musk's takeover of X and his campaign efforts for Trump, with vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ridiculing Musk for “skipping like a dipshit” at a rally.
However, a growing number of Democrats argue that a different approach is warranted, believing that Musk significantly aided Trump’s election. This shift reflects a broader reassessment of strategies regarding the president-elect, though it's uncertain whether other Democrats will adopt this perspective and whether they will face any repercussions.
Nevertheless, some Democrats remain cautious about Musk, who is among the billionaires and tech moguls Trump has appointed to his administration. They perceive Musk as an oligarch and express concerns about his agenda to trim the federal government alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to co-lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
“I reserve the right to be surprised, but this looks to me like a coming kleptocracy, in which all these billionaires are running the government in order to rig the rules,” Sen. Chris Murphy stated. “So I’m pretty fucking skeptical that this is a legitimate effort.”
Khanna, a House Democrat representing Silicon Valley and a potential candidate for president, has had a relationship with Musk that spans over a decade. In an interview, Khanna described him as “an extraordinary entrepreneur” and likened him to Franklin D. Roosevelt's “dollar-a-year men,” who contributed to WWII efforts for a nominal salary.
Khanna mentioned they have been in touch since Musk was chosen to lead DOGE, though he refrained from discussing the specifics of their conversations, stating that they have identified areas for potential collaboration.
“We have a candid conversation. He also knows where I disagree with him,” Khanna explained. “We need to engage these technologists and builders to be part of our coalition, but without compromising our values.”
In a recent post on X, Musk referred to Khanna as a “sensible moderate” after Khanna publicly criticized a proposed electric vehicle subsidy by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that would likely leave out Tesla. Musk did not respond to a request for comment.
Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor viewed as a top contender for the 2028 presidential race, had a brief conversation with Musk in October, during a Steelers game where Musk was seated in businessman Thomas Tull’s box. Tull and Musk were discussing investments in Pennsylvania when Shapiro was brought into the conversation.
“We did not discuss politics. We obviously have completely different views on politics, different choices and candidates,” Shapiro stated, emphasizing that the call was purely about economic development.
Fetterman, rumored to have presidential aspirations, admitted he hasn’t spoken directly with Musk but expressed willingness to collaborate to “cut waste,” acknowledging Musk’s role as an innovator who has positively impacted the American economy. He cautioned fellow Democrats against overlooking Musk’s significance.
“If our government is issuing checks for billions for his companies to rescue our astronauts, or he’s involved in things like AI and really important things, it’s like he is going to be part of this conversation,” Fetterman asserted. “And that’s a fact. And you want it to be as productive as possible.”
Even some progressive lawmakers are signaling openness to working with Musk, pushing for cuts at the Pentagon. However, their strategies may diverge from more moderate colleagues, aiming to draw focus to longstanding goals, including defense budget reductions, while also holding Trump accountable to his populist commitments.
“If Elon Musk wants to change government contracting to cut billions of dollars of waste out of the Pentagon budget, count me in,” stated Sen. Elizabeth Warren, echoing similar sentiments from Sen. Raphael Warnock, who declared, “I’ll work with whomever I have to work with, if I can, to get that done.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders also voiced support on X, stating, “Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions.”
In some respects, Democrats may be returning to a prior approach with Musk. He once identified as a Democrat and voted for Biden in 2020. During his presidency, Barack Obama met with Musk in the Oval Office and visited SpaceX.
Conversely, Musk has criticized the Biden administration for sidelining Tesla, including its exclusion from a White House electric vehicle event. The two have conflicting stances on labor organizing, with Biden backing the United Auto Workers while Musk opposes the union's efforts at his company. Musk's rare visit to the White House last year did not include a meeting with Biden himself.
During her presidential campaign, Harris likewise distanced herself from Musk, declining a proposed interview. When touring Pennsylvania in support of Trump, Musk commented, “nobody even bothers to try to kill Kamala,” suggesting it would be pointless due to her being “another puppet.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the outgoing chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, expressed a cautious stance toward Musk and DOGE.
“I never say never to working with somebody, but I got to see what it is, because there’s a lot of controversies and hypocrisies that are out there,” Jayapal stated. “I’m gonna put together my own list of where I think we should be cutting. And I have a feeling it’s not gonna be the same as their list. But I’m gonna try.”
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
