this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2025
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Summary

Elon Musk, a Republican megadonor and close Trump ally, is reportedly set to have office space in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the West Wing.

Musk is expected to head the "Department of Government Efficiency," aiming to reduce federal spending under Trump.

Critics question Musk's influence, noting his frequent presence at key Trump meetings and events.

This move, if confirmed, would grant Musk continued access to Trump post-inauguration, sparking debate about the billionaire’s role in the administration despite holding no official government position.

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[–] 58008@lemmy.world 9 points 4 hours ago

Not that I would ever condone or encourage such abhorrent and inexcusable behaviour, but it would seem like if anyone in US politics is begging for a bullet, it's Musk. Even more so than Trump or his cabinet of monstrosities. Musk is uniquely poised to catch a round in the dome. And it will probably be a MAGA lunatic that does it.

[–] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Is it just me or is Elon's appearance taking on more and more the embodiment of a fart in human form?

[–] TheBraveSirRobbin@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

I didn't know how to word it, but this feels about right

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 34 points 8 hours ago

Waitaminute... Isn't he going into the tesla office every day? I thought employees couldn't be productive without being in the office!

[–] Krauerking@lemy.lol 29 points 8 hours ago

Oh man he's gonna give so many more blowjobs than Melania

[–] Fades@lemmy.world 21 points 9 hours ago

Jesus fucking Christ

[–] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 17 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

What shape is that office?

[–] w3dd1e@lemm.ee 17 points 9 hours ago
[–] foggy@lemmy.world 133 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (2 children)

Oligarchy.

We're no better than Russia.

By design.

We lost the cold war folks.

[–] galaskorz 45 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

The Cold War is still going on, the goal is to destroy America from the inside because a frontal assault is impossible.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 13 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

Yep. I saying we've lost.

Not that it isn't ongoing, we've just been position with our pants down, wrists chained to our ankles, bent over a barrel.

[–] galaskorz 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Well, that’s how Americans like to take it. Bent over and told everything is fine.

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

yeah but every four years we vote with or without lube. Looks like everyone got sick of lube this go round and wanted something rougher.

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[–] DrFistington@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)
[–] foggy@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Bringing guns to a drone fight, I see. Brilliant.

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[–] minnow@lemmy.world 18 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

The cold war was against the Soviets. We're losing to fascists.

Which is much worse (imo)

[–] Zero22xx@lemmy.world 6 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

And willingly. I might be unfairly judging because I'm a non-American that has been watching this unfold from the outside. But this has been no master plan. There's been no deception or trickery. These people have repeatedly and loudly told us all what they're about. But Donald Trump could say "Hannibal Lector is a fine man" after half an hour of shuffling around onstage to golden oldies and his supporters were like "my hero! 😍"

Long before they were trying to 'protect the kids' from trans people, they were trying to 'protect the kids' from metal and punk and rap and calling everything satanic. But all along, we all knew that they were raging hypocrites that campaign for things like child marriage while claiming to actually give a shit about children.

The way I see it, not a single person over say 25 has the excuse of not knowing or not remembering. They don't get to use the "we were tricked" line later on. In fact, no one with the ability to read does. Southern Republican states have a global reputation for being full of kiddie fiddling preachers and politicians, for being run like 3rd world countries and for being incestuous motherfuckers. This is known. And this is why I'm going to press X to doubt wherever anyone tries to tell me that they thought the price of eggs would improve.

[–] ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.com 79 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

In related news JD Vance reported that he has opted for a room at the local Motel 6 for his accomodations...

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 30 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

since when does the dollar store motel chain have couches in their rooms?

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 10 points 14 hours ago

Couches, chairs...he's got eclectic tastes. Some people are saying.

[–] Josey_Wales@lemm.ee 4 points 12 hours ago

Please don’t sleep on JD Vance. While Trump is selling out the constitution, he is the tip of the want-to-be authoritarian spear: Is There Something More Radical than MAGA? JD Vance Is Dreaming It.

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[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 8 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I would say they should block the gaming ports on the network, but Musk doesn't really play games anyway.

[–] GenosseFlosse@feddit.org 1 points 9 hours ago

The internet should trick him into playing a well know AAA brand game that only gets negative reviews from serious gamers, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Overwatch 2 etc.

[–] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 64 points 15 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 19 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

That door has been open a while, he's just the biggest one and in the latest tradition the quiet part is being said out loud now. More validation of the real message of "Soylent Green", where a society degrades to the point where even the most outrageous actions get at best a shrug from the apathetic public.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 9 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Surely they are playing with fire now, right? The French Revolution happened in part because the oligarchy became so brazen about things.

[–] TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee 4 points 13 hours ago

We will find out when these idiots start the second great depression. When 400 million people can't eat shit gets real.

[–] Sumocat@lemmy.world 28 points 14 hours ago (1 children)
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[–] andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works 6 points 10 hours ago

Does it mean Mar-a-Lago is the new WH or the other way?

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 42 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I would hope so. He's the president.

[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 4 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Let me know when they name an aircraft carrier after him.

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 3 points 4 hours ago

He'll probably rename Airforce One to Xbox420lol69

[–] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 18 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

6 months tops before they start clashing very publicly

[–] TommySoda@lemmy.world 13 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

That's very generous. I give it 2 months.

[–] datavoid@lemmy.ml 1 points 8 hours ago

Would be hilarious if Elon got fired, and then punished with a series of new laws.

I can dream 🥲

[–] FiremanEdsRevenge@lemmy.world 20 points 15 hours ago

Bro, what the actual fuck?

[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 17 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

This twerp must have some absolutely devastating dirt on Trumpy boy. I'm coming to the conclusion that there's no other explanation. It can't possibly just be money; Trump has tons of other rich donors. What I'm struggling to predict, though, is just what he could possibly have to hold over Trump's head that's worse than selling classified documents, misusing campaign funds, trying to incite an insurrection, or failing to pay his hookers.

[–] andyburke@fedia.io 40 points 14 hours ago

It's not like this. This is conspiratorial thinking.

These people are just .. weirdos. This is how weirdos are friends: transactionally, with little common ground. Trump feels like he has something to offer a friend that friend, even though he's richer, can't.

It's all fucking base and stupid and nowhere near the ideals we are supposed to aspire to as a nation.

[–] Supervisor194@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

They are both beholden to Putin, very likely afraid for their lives and rightfully so. Putin is a billionaire but he also has a state apparatus with global reach behind him that he is intimately familiar with. He has demonstrated repeatedly over the years that he is willing and able to use that apparatus to... make people fall out of windows, etc. And all of this doesn't even consider the possibility of kompromat - these are all deeply bad people.

I believe Putin is the real mastermind behind everything that is going on and also that he has realized that Trump is of limited value to him in the White House. Trump's cult gets him in, but he had four years already and really didn't make a lot of inroads (not to mention his visibly declining health).

So in my opinion, this is Putin shuttling in someone who can be more useful to him. The canary in the coal mine for whether or not this is true will be to see if the infighting everyone is breathlessly predicting ever materializes. I predict it will not. Elon Musk will not end up like Anthony Scaramucci.

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[–] TommySoda@lemmy.world 14 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Dystopian implications aside, I wanna see how long it takes for everyone to be absolutely sick of him. He's already insufferable when he's not even in the room.

[–] takeheart@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago

It's not like you could say the same thing about Donald Trump. Yet here we are.

[–] BrokenGlepnir@lemmy.world 4 points 12 hours ago

People were talking about a MAGA civil war. It will be over in a night if this is an indicator. Bannon is going to get such a long knife man. I assume, that is.

[–] NineMileTower@lemmy.world 7 points 14 hours ago

This is a good thing. Familiarity breeds contempt. A middle school spat between these two prissy boys is imminent.

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca 8 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

The article and the NYT one which it cites fail to mention if there's any historical precedent for this kind of arrangement. Is there?

[–] valek879@sh.itjust.works 11 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

No idea for the US but a few years ago South Korea dealt with a similar situation. It was revealed that the president had a friend who was acting as an unpaid, unelected advisor making decisions for the president, seeing classified information, and helping set national policy. They had million person protests in the middle of Seoul that culminated in the impeachment of their president and her removal from office. The advisor was also arrested and sentenced to 20 years or something.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Korean_political_scandal

[–] Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 hours ago

Unfortunately most americans are too spineless to raise up and do anything about this bullshit so there will be no penalty.

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