Mamdouh AlMuhaini
In one of his emotional outbursts, Elon Musk wrote months ago on his platform “X”: “I love [Donald Trump] as much as a straight man can love another man.” Since then, we’ve seen him – with his son – accompanying Trump more often than we see the president with his own wife and son, Barron. Yet this affection and personal attraction were, in reality, built on fragile foundations of mutual interest and benefit. It was expected that this tangled relationship would end quickly – but not in the bitter and ugly way it did, when Musk accused his former boss of ties to the infamous Jeffrey Epstein case and called for his ouster.
Trump, known for firing his staff in humiliating ways – sometimes without them even knowing – and calling them “idiots,” couldn’t treat the richest man in the world the same way. Elon Musk is no ordinary man, and he played a critical role in Trump’s re-election. That’s why Trump tried to ease him out gracefully and with minimal damage. In a bland farewell ceremony before reporters in the Oval Office, he handed Musk – who was in a state of turmoil – a golden key in honor of his service. In his parting words, Musk said he would remain a supporter and friend to Trump, who, despite Musk’s remarks, tried to absorb the blow and calm the tension. But just a few days later, Musk launched a furious, unhinged attack on his former boss, declaring that he hadn’t meant what he said in front of millions.
Musk is an emotional and volatile figure, difficult to contain. This is one of the key reasons behind the rift between him and Trump that led to this ugly split. While Trump seeks to weaken established institutions and challenge the so-called deep state, Musk operates entirely outside traditional government structures, disregarding its norms and conventions altogether. Trump, despite rebelling against Washington and its elite, still adhered to some rules and never became an absolute destructive force – after all, he is the president of the United States. Musk, on the other hand, has never worked in government, but wants to change it as he does his corporate leadership teams – without oversight or accountability. His clash with members of Trump’s administration over the government efficiency board known as “DOGE” sparked much controversy. He used a harsh management style, and although Trump publicly supported him at first, Musk’s employee purge campaign ultimately damaged Trump’s political image and failed to deliver the promised financial savings. It was a chaotic project doomed to fail from the very beginning.
Another rift between Musk and Trump lies in their worldviews. After Trump’s victory, Musk entered into a state of hysterical celebration, declaring that the win would serve human civilization and the interests of mankind. Musk’s motivations are cosmic and idealistic, whereas Trump speaks in terms of individual interests, “America First,” egg prices, and tariffs. While Musk saw Trump’s win as a turning point in human history, Trump was busy attacking Biden and blaming him. Their conflict was a collision of extremes – excessive idealism versus self-serving realism, visionary romanticism versus cold materialism.
For all these reasons, the split wasn’t surprising – it was a logical conclusion to a fragile relationship between two personalities who were never meant to meet in the first place.
Courtesy: alarabiya
