Elon Musk's Falling Popularity Spells Trouble For Trump, Says White House Source

With Elon Musk's public influence down, an increasing number of White House insiders feel the billionaire is no longer a "heat shield" for US President Donald Trump, as some once thought he had been deflecting fire from the administration.

On Wednesday, Joe Scarborough appeared on MSNBC's morning program, Morning Joe. He said he was told by a White House source that Musk was losing his power as a shield for Trump.

"I talked to a source very close to the White House and the president who said they see Elon Musk's poll numbers going down and the idea that he's somehow a quote, 'heat shield.'" A
He continued, "And somebody told me last night, close to the president, that heat shield's not working anymore."

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has become a polarizing figure over the past year and a half due to his controversial comments and business decisions.

Political insiders believe the decreasing public appeal for him also coincides with questions about Trump's standing of public favorability.

He pointed to recent instances where Republican lawmakers were pilloried at town hall meetings as a sign of both Musk and Trump dropping share with voters.

Scarborough stated, "Elon Musk's numbers are going down, the president's numbers in some areas going down, so there has been the blowback, I will say, from members of Congress who see what we're seeing here in these clips."

He noted that some members of Congress have found public anger challenging to navigate. Scarborough added that he has seen members of Congress go out and do that, and members of Congress hide from their constituents, and hiding from constituents doesn't work.

"Better to go out, get the feedback and get the blowback and adjust than to hide in your offices," the host said.

Republican Silence Rooted in Fear, Senator Believes

This comes after Senator Lisa Murkowski believes that her Republican colleagues are intimidated by the prospect of Trump and Musk retaliating against any criticism.

"You've got everyone zip-lipped. Not saying a word because they're afraid they're going to be taken down, they're going to be primaried, they're going to be given names in the media," Murkowski told reporters Tuesday in Alaska, per ABC News.

The senator, one of the few Republicans openly challenging Trump, urged her colleagues not to be intimidated. "You know what, we cannot be cowed into not speaking up," she added.

Trump and Musk have both previously warned that they will pursue any dissenting GOP lawmakers. Just recently, Trump threatened to support a primary campaign against Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., for opposing a Trump-backed spending bill.

"It may be that Elon Musk decides that he's going to take the next billion dollars he makes off Starlink and put it directly against Lisa Murkowski," she said. "And you know what? That may happen. But I'm not giving up one minute, one opportunity to try to stand up for Alaska."

Originally published on Enstarz