elon musk

Elon Musk's relationship with President Donald Trump is reportedly showing signs of strain as the Tesla CEO faces a significant financial hit following Trump's recent tariff hikes. Musk's net worth has taken a blow of $30.9 billion, a result of new trade policies that could also signal the end of his long-standing support for Trump.

Musk sounded less optimistic just after Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all goods coming from almost every country and added higher tariffs on some regions. Tesla's founder has reportedly been reeling over a drastic cut in his fortune from new global tariffs.

"It's only a matter of time before the bromance between Trump and Elon goes south," said Radhika Jones, editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, speaking on the "Inside the Hive" podcast. "There are cracks showing in his relationship with the Trump administration, especially in recent days."

In 2020, Musk began to float away from the more liberal viewpoints he had once held and instead started drifting toward the camp populated by Trump. That change happened in part because Musk faced more regulations in California, especially after Tesla's factories were forced to close temporarily due to health orders.

"I think it was a convergence of factors—discontent with the media, seeing it as a tool of liberalism, and growing frustration with the regulations in California," said Zoë Bernard, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.

Musk's choice to align himself more directly with Trump is particularly questionable given the 2021 incident in which President Biden did not invite Tesla to an electric vehicle summit. Musk had previously expressed frustration, thinking that Tesla should have a seat there.

There is pressure on Musk from all sides, both over and above his monetary losses. His brother, Kimbal Musk, has been a strong critic of the ill effects of Trump's tariffs, which he has described as a "permanent tax on the American consumer."

Body language experts and political analysts have also noticed what they consider a change in Musk's dynamic with Trump and suggested the dynamic may not last for long. Somebody familiar with the Musk family said that the two billionaires had been increasingly at odds, especially after the tariffs.

Musk's Legacy at Risk

Musk once supported Trump, which was a strategic decision; now, the thinking is that it blows a hole in Musk's legacy. Jones added that while Musk could be remembered, especially once he is gone, as a climate change champion who transformed space travel, it may be overshadowed by his controversial ties to the president.

"It's actually kind of sad, because his legacy could have been that of a climate change evangelist who made a beautiful, efficient, and relatively affordable vehicle, helped astronauts explore space, and expanded medical understanding of the brain. But now, he's gonna go down as a chainsawing maniac," said Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair's executive editor.

Originally published on Enstarz

Elon musk Donald trump