It's Elon Musk over MAGA: Donald Trump makes his pick

[marmar]

It's Elon Musk over MAGA: Donald Trump makes his pick
There is a reason Donald Trump misses his MVP down at Mar-a-Lago so much

By Heather Digby Parton
Columnist
Published December 30, 2024 9:49AM (EST)


(Salon) Acouple of days after Christmas, Donald Trump posted something very odd, even by his standards. He accidentally posted a personal text to his BFF, Elon Musk, on Truth Social. (Trump staffers confirmed to CNN that the message was intended to remain private.) Sounding downright forlorn, the president-elect wondered when his pal would return to Mar-a-Lago ("the center of the universe" ) because he misses him and his son, X. He also mentioned that the New Year's Eve party was going to be "AMAZING" and that Bill Gates had asked to come to dinner.

....(snip)....

While Trump was photographed on the golf course and entertaining his dinner guests with his insufferably weird playlist of "YMCA" and Pavarotti, an online war broke out between the MIA friend Musk and some of Trump's most loyal MAGA activists. The problem began last weekend when Trump named Indian-born Sriram Krishnan, as his senior policy advisor on AI, to work with another Musk associate and fellow South African-born David Sachs, his new AI and "crypto czar." That got the attention of some MAGA loyalists, notably Laura Loomer who was, until recently, a great friend of the president-elect, even traveling with him on his campaign plane. She noticed that Krishnan is a big proponent of the H-1B visa program which allows skilled workers to come into the US to work temporarily, many of them from Asia. The tech sector makes particular use of this program.

....(snip)....

It was at this point Musk personally joined the conversation, explaining that in order the make America great again they would need to hire lots of foreign engineers and programmers because they're the best and it would help the team. That didn't go over very well. Soon his deputy, Vivek Ramaswamy, joined the fray, posting a long screed about how American mediocrity, bad culture and a compulsion to worship prom queens instead of smart nerds makes it impossible for the country to succeed. It surely made incels everywhere rejoice that they have finally been seen but it enraged the MAGA faithful online even more.

....(snip)....

Once again, it's pretty obvious who wears the presidential pants in this new administration — and it isn't Donald Trump.

Elon Musk won yet another internecine GOP brawl and proved that he has the next president of the United States firmly under his thumb. Trump seems to be dazzled by him and his tech-bro billionaire buds in the same way he's dazzled by Vladimir Putin. Having the richest man in the world be his friend is more meaningful to him than being president again. ........................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/12/30/its-elon-musk-over-maga-donald-makes-his-pick/