Written by Erin Griffiths, published on March 16, 2025:
Technology and politics often overlap, but rarely do two figures embody this crossroads as much as Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Both have used their high profile to challenge traditional ways of doing things and launched themselves onto the national scene with little conventional experience. However, but where Donald Trump has forged strong ties with conservative voters and imbued his presidential campaign with an aggressive populism, Elon Musk has operated in relative isolation from partisan politics. Investors, tech companies, and employees in Silicon Valley generally consider themselves politically progressive, but Musk has kept out of politics. Preferring the role of policy pushover, he tweets compliments about Trump and asks for meetings on the topics of the environment, to which the White House has yet to respond. Despite criticism and distancing from some Tesla employees, shareholders, and consumers, Musk seems to have created a following with Trump’s base. His plans to build electric vehicles powered by gasoline and financial performance do not fit snugly with the Green New Deal or other Democratic priorities. However, some argue that Musk could actually thrive under a Trump administration due to his affinity for deregulation and a disdain for renewable energy targets and subsidies. Nevertheless, the question is whether Musk can remain on friendly terms with Trump without becoming embroiled in politics or risking his company’s reputation, provoking backlash. As Musk values his image as a pioneer who focuses only on space rockets and fancy cars, a big part of his Silicon Valley mystique is his ability to maintain an air of disinterest around politics and to keep his head down while benefiting from government largesse rather than find himself in the town’s familiar crossfires.
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