back to article Musk and Trump to fall out in 2025, predicts analyst

The CEO and founder of channel-centric analyst house Canalys has predicted that the alliance between president-elect Donald Trump and aspiring oligarch Elon Musk will unravel in 2025, putting Tesla's ability to execute on full self-driving vehicles at risk. Speaking at the Canalys APAC Forum, Brazier said the recent US …

  1. DS999 Silver badge

    They will fall out over ego

    And it will happen in Q1 of next year.

    There isn't a room big enough for both their egos, and him hanging around Trump trying to tell him who he should appoint and everyone else what they should do is going to start wearing thin. Probably the first time Musk takes credit for something is when it will happen.

    I don't think he's realized that everything good that happens is because of Trump, and everything bad that happens is someone else's fault - and if he decides to pin the blame on you, you aren't allowed to contradict him. All the hangers-on who didn't learn that lesson in time were ejected from his orbit and became persona non grata.

    1. Dinanziame Silver badge
      Trollface

      Re: They will fall out over ego

      I think Elon is totally able to schmooze Trump for a very long time, and Trump knows that being Elon's friend is good for his brand. But there is a bigger problem regarding "Tesla's ability to execute on full self-driving vehicles" — Elon has promised the cybercab for 2027, meaning it definitely won't be ready by the end of Trump's term in 2029.

      1. Hubert Cumberdale Silver badge

        Re: They will fall out over ego

        "the end of Trump's term in 2029"

        That's assuming a lot about a nation with more guns than people.

        1. collinsl Silver badge

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          Yes, but how many of those people also have modern tanks or apache gunships?

          I don't think credibly the US civilian population could win a war against the US Government unless the militaries (National Guard, US Army, USAF, US Navy, US Coastguard etc) were on their side.

      2. Groo The Wanderer

        Re: They will fall out over ego

        Elon has too big of an ego to kiss Drumpf's posterior for long. There are two huge egos in the room, but there can be only one, so it'll be a fight to the death...

        1. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          Cage fight?

          :)

        2. NoneSuch Silver badge
          Trollface

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          All hail the Great Pumpkin.

      3. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge

      DOGE Fight

      Musk having falling out there first

      1. BebopWeBop
        Trollface

        Re: DOGE Fight

        Would that be falling out of a convenient window? Trump having taken lessons from Putin.

        1. Bebu sa Ware
          Facepalm

          Re: DOGE Fight

          Would that be falling out of a convenient window? Trump having taken lessons from Putin.

          I am not sure Trump ever could learn anything that he thought he already knew (ie nothing and everything respectively) but I am certain he is now incapable of even learning to tie shoelaces.

          Perhaps Musk will present el presidente with a de luxe, top of the range, gold plated, FSD* Tesla.

          * the fully self detonating option would be nice but the self driving is equally lethal we hear.

          1. collinsl Silver badge

            Re: DOGE Fight

            Perhaps Musk will present el presidente with a de luxe, top of the range, gold plated, FSD* Tesla.

            Which he may do, but he won't be allowed to drive it by the Secret Service. US Presidents under SecSvc (won't shorten it to SS) protection must go in SecSev vehicles (or US Military vehicles) and must be driven by fully qualified SecSvc drivers as part of their protection package.

            Jerry Seinfeld had a series called "Comedians in Cars getting Coffee" where he took a celebrity out for a coffee in one of his car collection. He did an episode with Obama whilst he was still President and they were not allowed to leave the White House grounds with Seinfeld driving. During this, Obama basically said he was never allowed to drive again unless on his properties that the SecSvc had secured the perimeter of totally.

        2. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
          Alert

          Re: DOGE Fight

          Remember, back in 2016, at a campaign rally, Trump said "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK? It's, like, incredible."

          This time around, Trump has get out of jail card from the SCOTUS for anything he does as the POTUS - If I were Musk, I'd think twice if Trump says "let's take a walk down 5th Avenue"

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: DOGE Fight

            Musk planned ahead - why do you think the Cybertruck has those nice, pedestrian-slicing edges?

            :)

        3. UnknownUnknown

          Re: DOGE Fight

          He could just get someone in Secret Service to

          simply whack him.

          Presidential Pardon Power and Blanket Immunity for himself…..

          Job done.

          I had thought Civil War (2024) was becoming less likely since he won / though not by the landslide he claims - but reconsidering that view. Esp. If he does use US Military for (unconstitutional and illegal) Domestic Enforcement activities.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: They will fall out over ego

      I would add that Trump's modus operandi is to badmouth his own people to his other people. He sets all of them up against each other in some kind of divide and conquer game. That was his whole previous term play, set up Steve Bannon against Kellyanne Conway, Kellyanne Conway against Mike Flynn, Mike Flynn against Steve Bannon etc.

      You can rest assured that Trump has already been badmouthing Musk to his other staffers. Once someone as thin-skinned as Musk hears what Trump is saying about him it's hard to predict how Musk will respond.

      1. Groo The Wanderer

        Re: They will fall out over ego

        Well, he'll block Drumpf's account on Xitter again...

      2. Robert 22

        Re: They will fall out over ego

        I am reminded that Hitler's management style encouraged subordinates to fight each other for face time if they were not to cede power to rivals. Moreover, officials would compete with each other to be seen carrying out what they assumed Hitler wanted done. Their efforts to anticipate Hitler's wishes ("working toward the Fuhrer"), tended to result in increasingly extreme policies and practices.

        There are some eerie and very alarming parallels with the history of those times.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          Indeed, the last 4 years has been quite interesting. It will be good to see an end to it.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          Sounds like a manager at past job of mine, except he would give the same task to several people with a "don't tell anyone else about this" command....I eventually escaped

        3. Alan_P

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          I agree. Stalin did the same with his generals, always pitting them against each other.

    4. Elongated Muskrat Silver badge

      Re: They will fall out over ego

      It's as predictable as night following day.

      Put two narcissists in a room together who have something to gain from cooperating with each other, and each will cooperate for exactly as long as it takes to achieve their own goals, and not an attosecond longer. Like the Highlander, after that, there can be only one.

      Each has an absolute ego-driven need to be in total control, and that includes of the other, so there is no way that they won't turn on each other the moment one of them realises that they don't have this total control. This will start with each undermining the other whilst pretending to cooperate, and then the gaslighting and public denial will start. There is no other way this can play out.

      1. UnknownUnknown

        Re: They will fall out over ego

        That’s a no brainer fight.

        On one side, the full powers of the US State and Military, Presidential Pardon Powers and (SCOTUS) granted Absolute Immunity whilst in office …. v’s a gobshite James Bond-esque villain with effectively unlimited wealth, a hate-platform, an electric vehicle company, a rocket and comms company and some investments including ChatGPT (who he is at war with).

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: They will fall out over ego

          Just going to point out that the current president just gave his son immunity for anything he did in the last 10 years and is talking about giving some people preemptive immunity from things they might or might not have done. This is the action of a dictator and really does indicate that there have been some serious quasi-legal things going on in the last 4 years.

          1. cmdrklarg

            Re: They will fall out over ego

            Ah yes, let's complain about Biden doing something that 99% of everyone else would do (pardon their offspring) and not mention the Florida Orange Man pardons of a large number of his corrupt cronies, not to mention that he's likely to give himself a blanket pardon once he's sworn in.

            Enough of the whining; if pardons are bad for Biden to do, they're also bad for the FOM.

          2. gnasher729 Silver badge

            Re: They will fall out over ego

            Just going to point out that Hunter Biden’s chances for a fair trial in the next four years are approximately zero.

            1. codejunky Silver badge

              Re: They will fall out over ego

              @gnasher729

              "Just going to point out that Hunter Biden’s chances for a fair trial in the next four years are approximately zero."

              Because of his criminal history or because he has a blanket pardon to keep him from trial? Very different from taking Trump to court as we have seen.

    5. JLV Silver badge

      Re: They will fall out over ego

      Podcast "The rest is politics - US edition" has one host predicting Musk will be Democrat by the 2028 election. For exactly your reasons. Though Q1 2025 seems a tad early to bet on.

    6. UnknownUnknown

      Re: They will fall out over ego

      By end of 20-Jan, or do you think it will make it until 21-Jan lunchtime??

  2. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

    Value for money

    I'm pretty sure Musk is expecting some favour from King Don the Turd, he's spent a lot of pocket money to buy him so he will expect a return on that but I think the main reason for the falling out will be the Whitehouse just not being big enough to accommodate two ginormous overinflated egos.

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Value for money

      "I'm pretty sure Musk is expecting some favour"

      Right not he'll be looking to get Delaware judges overruled.

    2. StrangerHereMyself Silver badge

      Re: Value for money

      I agree. Trump is the definition of "clientelism" and it wouldn't surprise me in the least that Tesla will be exempted from import tariffs.

    3. Orv Silver badge

      Re: Value for money

      He might be disappointed. While Trump demands loyalty, he doesn't return it, and in fact he seems to take particular glee in humiliating people who suck up to him.

  3. tin 2

    Oh no? Really?

    Who are these amazing analysts? Trump falls out with literally everybody. It's nailed on to happen.

    1. LogicGate Silver badge

      Re: Oh no? Really?

      Unless the Hamberder gets its revenge first.

    2. JLV Silver badge

      Re: Oh no? Really?

      Yeah, but this has likely quite big financial consequences so it's not wrong to inject a bit of think-about-the-politics in a technocratic/financial information context to remind people that (predictable) outside events can influence technical/financial outcomes.

  4. Sceptic Tank Silver badge
    Happy

    Things could have been an awful lot worse ... Kamilla could have won.

    1. Elongated Muskrat Silver badge
      FAIL

      0/10 - must troll harder.

    2. MachDiamond Silver badge

      "Things could have been an awful lot worse ... Kamilla could have won."

      And named Hillary to be her VP.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Now THAT would have been funny. I suspect Trump would then have that colour face without the need for face paint..

  5. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    "Musk and Trump both claim to be all for small government,"

    And Truth, Justice, Apple Pie and the American Way.

    Unless of course "Big government" can hand them bigger profits, or more power to abuse their opponents and/or competitors.

    Then they're all for it.

    1. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

      Re: "Musk and Trump both claim to be all for small government,"

      Small government costs less thus leaving more money for them to hoover up.

    2. Bebu sa Ware
      Coat

      Re: "Musk and Trump both claim to be all for small government,"

      And Truth, Justice, Apple Pie and the American Way.

      Ironic that Superman is/was not eligible to be the president of the US whereas Lex Luthor at least in his later portrayal could be. Prophetic what?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "Musk and Trump both claim to be all for small government,"

        For the same reason as Musk is ineligible, alien birth.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "Musk and Trump both claim to be all for small government,"

          One of the first times you could also use 'alien' with the European meaning..

  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

    If you think an election denier (replacing a guy who pays for sex with teenagers), a serial cheating, alcoholic Faux News host who may have a supply of roofies for Sec DoD, some Ahole for FBI director and an anti-vaxxer and conspiracy-theorist for-profit as head of HSS is the worst that the FOCF can come up with you have a very limited imagination.

    And BTW her name is "Kamala*." She's was the one without the 34 felony convictions who didn't owe NYC $354m for his companies ongoing frauds (plus interest).

    *Although I can't help think of the situation her campaign ended up in as a "Kamala-lama dingdong" :-)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

      Oh dear, you REALLY need to step away from bluesky.

      "an election denier"

      Does this include all the people claiming the 2024 election was stolen from Kamala? No? Oh.

      "pays for sex with teenagers"

      3 years of investigations, nothing! You are fake news.

      "a serial cheating"

      Doug Emhoff? Oh wait, getting the nanny pregnant was (D)ifferent.

      "alcoholic"

      Nancy Pelosi? Kamala looked pretty loaded in her latest video begging for more donations. But seriously you're REALLY scraping the barrel here. The 'smelled alcohol on their breath' is the usual police excuse to drag you from your car just so they can search it and stitch you with some other crime or just to confiscate your stuff.

      "some Ahole"

      Oh you can do better than that!

      "anti-vaxxer and conspiracy-theorist"

      You are aware that he isn't either of those. But then you live in a very black and white world and have been indoctrinated to hate anyone who doesn't fully agree with you.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

        fuck off back to russia with the lies, hope you end up in the trenches cowering from ukraine drones

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

          So polite, this is why your side wins elections ;)

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

            I don't do polite to lying fuckwits, it's not constructive... lying fuckwits just continue with the lies, and pretend they won.

            fuckwits never learn, they are incapable of logic, so no point being polite

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

              But none of those things you claim to be 'lies' are actually lies... Maybe it is you who is incapable of logic.

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

                Lies, half truths, please stop pretending you don't know rather well what the facts are.

                1. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

                  Those are truths, you're just unwilling to break programming.

                  You're all to happy to believe a single anonymous source that claims someone Trump has picked has a drinking problem despite everyone who worked with him saying the opposite.

                  And Doug Emhoff has admitted to having an affair with the nanny AND getting her pregnant.

                  These are the facts.

      2. Casca Silver badge

        Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

        Oh look, another AC moron. Fuck off to twitter

      3. Robert 22

        Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

        "3 years of investigations, nothing! You are fake news."

        Then why not release the results of the investigation carried out by the House Ethics Committee?

    2. Bebu sa Ware
      Coat

      Re: "Things could have been an awful lot worse ..."

      «Kamilla could have won.»

      “And BTW her name is 'Kamala'.”

      Perhaps the OP was confusing the US VP with the UK's Mrs King.

      Easy mistake to make if you are an American which as a nation they are congenitally incapable of reliably distinguishing between or discriminating between (arguably masters of against) anything essentially dichotomous.

      In response to the OP's assertion (in the subject) - Really? How?

      Even the sodding Tea Party would have been a better option or Sarah Palin or even the Wonderland one with the mad hatter.

  7. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

    Re: China cutting Taiwan cables

    Is it practical for the US to require all internet traffic between the US and China to pass through Taiwan?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: China cutting Taiwan cables

      They pass all traffic through what on first glance appear to be some really unlikely places until you realise those places happily allow intercept stations to be set up so they can surveil US internet traffic without being subject to US laws.

  8. HuBo Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Make America abandon all hope Again

    Well, I could see the bromance getting slightly complicated and souring up some, but am not so sure about a full-fledged fallout. They both agree on the importance of keeping social media unaccountable to standards of reality and truth, and both agree that cryptocurrencies are great for their tax-avoiding accounting strategies, plus both seem to agree that those who appear to be very rich should be above the law, and not governed by government (which is for little peoples, with little hands, ...). I expect there to be plenty of other areas where they agree. I could also imagine the incoming administration subsidizing "local" EV battery production, possibly on the ruins of Northvolt, to both spite China and help Tesla/Musk.

    There's been many hopes over the years that terrible circumstances could be overturned by reason, from Petraeus Betray Us to the Mueller Report (and more) ... the protagonists seem to be way too slick, slimy, slippery, shady, treacherous, sly, greasy, deceitful, lubricious, shifty, wily, and devious, for just about anything to stick, especially hope for some form of incarceration, disintegration, or even course correction, IMHO!

    My apologies for not being more optimistic about this prospect

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: Make America abandon all hope Again

      "the protagonists seem to be way too slick, slimy, slippery, shady, treacherous, sly, greasy, deceitful, lubricious, shifty, wily, and devious,"

      Help! I've been Roget'ed

  9. Ken G Silver badge
    Devil

    Poor old Trump

    If that happens, Musk can break him financially and ruin his name on 'X'.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Poor old Trump

      “Ruin his name”

      Oh boy, is that even possible?

      Really?

      1. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
        Mushroom

        Re: Poor old Trump

        Oh boy, is that even possible?

        I know what you mean but the MAGA mob and most of America's right wing seem to think the sun shines out of both Trump's and Musk's arses. It's going to be popcorn time if they are forced to choose one over the other.

      2. ThomH Silver badge

        Re: Poor old Trump

        I think it's going to be a lot more possible now that Trump is going in as a lame duck; the incentives for everyone wishing to seize the mantle in 2028 are very different.

        Put another way: the mob boss becomes less scary if you know when he'll no longer be the mob boss.

        1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
          Unhappy

          "now that Trump is going in as a lame duck; "

          You assume there will be an election in 2028 (or even midterms in 2026) and they will be conducted in a way that allows a fair choice.

          Given the FOCF's love of dictators both assumptions should be viewed as very doubtful without vigorous action to defend the democratic process.

          You might like to consider this guy

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: "now that Trump is going in as a lame duck; "

            Ah, V for Vendetta. People always get the sides wrong. Joe Biden was Sutler.

            1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
              Unhappy

              "People always get the sides wrong. Joe Biden was Sutler."

              Oh how novel

              Look kids, someone posting AC (they are always AC because either a)They don't want to be exposed as a paid troll) b)They want their non-political posts to be taken seriously, and not those of some right wing Swivel Eyed Loon) is playing the "It's not this, it's that" routine.

              For the people who are taking over the US Government the enemy is not the Democrats, or undocumented migrants, or China, it is Democracy itself.

              And they want to end it and replace it with, well I'm not quite sure they even know what they want, beyond something-that-lets-billionaires-do-WTF-they-want.

              Of course they won't say that in public. In public they'll spout their usual BS about "Draining the swamp" ( (C) B. Mussolini) and other such nonsense.

              The real trouble with populists is not that they tap into a sense of public grievance (they clearly do) it's that they fail to do anything about it.

              So when they are ultimately defeated they victors are still left with the s**t to clean up.

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: "People always get the sides wrong. Joe Biden was Sutler."

                Yeah, you keep talking about pay, I'm still not getting any! Where does this money come from cos I need to talk to them.

                Kamala was a populist. Do not forget that. Abortion, trans, 'pay fair share', price gouging etc.

                And about them billionaires. How many endorsed Kamala? How many super rich people stood on stage with her and even Biden before he finally got ejected. You talk about turkeys voting for christmas with Trump but we are expected to believe that Kamala is being supported by all these people while telling the proles she is going to tax the rich more?

                And who was it who said the first amendment was a 'major block'? Oh yeah, John 'its not really my private plane' Kerry. Even the CEO of NPR says the first amendment stands in the way of controlling the information.

                Do you actually chew the boot first or just swallow it whole?

        2. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: Poor old Trump

          "Put another way: the mob boss becomes less scary if you know when he'll no longer be the mob boss."

          Au contraire. Presidents in their first term have to show some restraint to have a chance of being re-elected for a second term. Without that being a factor and given Mr Trump's age, there's not a lot to hold him back from doing all sorts of things.... and getting away with them. Look at Joe Biden. He's given a broad pardon to his wayward son and it's usually towards the very end of the term that an outgoing President starts firing off the big forgiving. I won't be surprised if Joe let's a few people off the hook for their misdeeds as a way to secure his own future and that of his handlers. Just because those people are in prison doesn't mean they aren't still rich and powerful.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Poor old Trump

            There's just a substantially smaller number of people in dire need of a pardon in the Biden camp.

            At the Trump side it's actually easy to define: pretty much all of them. If he doesn't start pardoning about a year before they try to cancel the whole idea of elections he'll never gets it done in time in case elections still occur.

            1. ThomH Silver badge

              Re: Poor old Trump

              > There's just a substantially smaller number of people in dire need of a pardon in the Biden camp.

              You say that, but after Trump's first term and based on his overt election promises are you confident of a non-politicised Department of Justice?

              Per reporting (so, ummm, yeah) the ongoing debate in the White House is whether to offer blanket pardons to various people — especially those who have pursued Trump in court — based on a presumption of retaliation given both that it implicitly endorses Trump's world view that prosecution decisions are primarily political, that the sitting President and those that work with him are above the law, and also that most of the people on whom Trump has promised vengeance have done nothing illegal.

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Poor old Trump

                "based on a presumption of retaliation"

                This is interesting as even the media have used the word 'retaliation' in relation to Trump. This really does imply that something actually HAS been done to Trump. Otherwise they'd be saying he was planning to persecute or terrorise or some other word where there is no implied returning of the favour aspect.

                Presidential pardons that were for long periods of time and/or non-specific things (eg Hunters 11 year pardon for anything he might have done) are very rare. Something like 7 people in total prior to Hunter have been given such pardons and the longest was given to Nixon as a pardon for his involvement in watergate spanning a 5 year period.

                Pre-emptive pardons are not a thing. Chuck Schumer even pointed this out in 2020 and said Trump simply cannot pre-pardon people. So if Biden tries this is going to look awfully sus.

    2. Elongated Muskrat Silver badge

      Re: Poor old Trump

      And Trump, in retaliation, would find a way to ban or block X in the US.

      All these things, and more, may well come to pass when the inevitable falling out happens.

      1. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

        Re: Poor old Trump

        Oh I really hope so, I'd buy popcorn specially

      2. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: Poor old Trump

        "And Trump, in retaliation, would find a way to ban or block X in the US."

        All that has to be done is making sure there will be no lifeline extended and solidifying that Xitter isn't too big to fail. They break out the ingredients for the smores.

        1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
          Coat

          "making sure there will be no lifeline extended "

          I can go one better. Or worse.

          Truth Social takes over X in the way that The Onion took over Infowars.

          The FOCF gets to have his cake and eat it. Back on X without leaving TS.

  10. codejunky Silver badge

    Shocked

    People wanting Trump to fail already predicting failure. The most amusing part is how Trump isnt even president yet and has them all worked up.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Shocked

      The most amusing part is seeing your orange cheeks from your ever harder attempts to insert your tongue between his cheeks and into his starfish.

    2. sabroni Silver badge
      1. codejunky Silver badge

        Re: Shocked

        @sabroni

        "https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/2/2289015/-Cartoon-Tom-the-Dancing-Bug-cries-into-its-oat-milk-latte-while-MAGA-wins"

        Was that from 2016 or 2024? Isnt this the same tripe being peddled for the past 9 years?

        "That's right bud, you're safe!"

        I live in the UK not the US.

        I do wonder why you posted in reply to me as you seem to have made a stand alone comment

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Shocked

      You mean "woked up".

    4. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Megaphone

      Re: Shocked

      yeah the TDS venting in the comments is voluminous AND entertaining!

      SO funny when none of "that" happens and DOGE gets to trim >$2TRILLION from annual gummint expenditure.

      Elon can put factories wherever he wants. 10:1 he puts the new ones in Mexico, Canada, or inside USA with Musk-bots doing most of the work. CCP China is a passing FAD when it comes to manufacturing. Trump de-regulating will allow US minerals and energy to dominate again. We do NOT need the CCP to supply critical minerals despite their takeover and/or coercion as they corner markets around the world. Before long, they'll be BEGGING for US companies to consider them RELEVANT.

      Environmentalists won't complain about how CCP and 3rd world nations RAPE the earth for minerals, leaving open pit and strip mining scars and other environmental damage in their wake. If USA mines its OWN minerals, AND Canada, and maybe even Mexico, it can be done WITHOUT the environmental damage if NOT over-regulated into non-profitability, and THAT is the point.

      Truth: pollute and rape the land "over there" and use SLAVE labor to do it - THAT (CCP) model MUST go away, swapped out for COMMON SENSE regulations in places where we CARE about such things.

      It'll work. You'll see.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Shocked

        with Musk-bots doing most of the work

        Yeah, as far as I can see they work even less well than the Cybertruck which can't even handle a car wash.

        If you were trying to be funny I'd recommend you don't give up the day job. Cleaning bins really is your talent.

      2. Orv Silver badge

        Re: Shocked

        Considering Defense, Social Security, and Medicare have all been declared off-limits it's hard to see how they get to $2 trillion. That would require cutting pretty much everything else government does, and a lot of those agencies have substantial constituencies relying on them in red states. Try telling farmers that there won't be any more subsidies and see how it goes.

        1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
          Unhappy

          "substantial constituencies relying on them in red states. "

          You mean being "Oppressed by operatives of the Deep State" as Faux News will no doubt spin it?

          Now you might think their Con-gresspeople and Senators would speak up for them but it wasn't that long ago that MTG wanted all red states to split off due to all that welfare they were paying to blue states.

          If she's average for the level of awareness of thereal level of understanding about how Federal money moves through the system them those red state residents are in for some interesting times.

          Otherwise her smarter colleagues will be working like crazy to head this off while of course blaming it on the Democrats.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Trump’s grifting knowns no bounds

    Musk’s spruiking sounds like clowns

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    You Forgot the Crony Dispensation

    One of the hallmarks of being an major oligarch within a strongman governments posse is exemption, provided Donny gets a big enough cut, from the harsh economic restrictions in placee on the whim of the strongman.

    1. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

      Re: You Forgot the Crony Dispensation

      Let's not forget what happens to oligarchs who fall out of favour.

      They often, completely coincidentally, fall out of windows, the sky etc shortly after.

      1. Robert 22

        Re: You Forgot the Crony Dispensation

        Putin is a keen student of the Law of Gravity.

  13. alain williams Silver badge

    Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

    and not the USA - otherwise we might have had the prospect of a Musk presidency in 4 years time.

    If you thought that Trump's presidency was just about what Trump thinks is good for Trump - Musk would have been far worse!

    1. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

      Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

      We've got what may well turn out to be a puppet presidency with Musk's hand in the puppet

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

        .. deeply ..

    2. Phones Sheridan Silver badge

      Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

      Don’t they have enough republican bums on seats now to change the constitution, and allow not-born-on-us-soil persons to become president again?

      1. theAltoid

        Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

        Not that easy to change the constitution. You need 2/3 of senate and 23 of house, the 3/4 of states to all agree.

        1. Ace2 Silver badge

          Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

          You are assuming that there will be anyone left to enforce the plain meaning of the Constitution.

          After the last 2-3 years of SCOTUS, it’s clear that they’re not just unbound by precedent - they’re unbound by the actual text of the thing.

          1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
            Unhappy

            "they’re unbound by the actual text of the thing."

            Which, for anyone vaguely familiar with the stated position of the Federalist Society (and it's members) on the matter is deeply ironic.*

            *We believe in the specific interpretation of the Constitution (unless it stops our guy doing exactly what he wants, when we don't).

          2. MachDiamond Silver badge

            Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

            "You are assuming that there will be anyone left to enforce the plain meaning of the Constitution."

            You mean all of those people with 27 guns each and enough ammo to fight WWI, WWII and Vietnam all over again (as claimed)?

    3. ravenviz Silver badge
      Big Brother

      Re: Thank fortune that Musk was born in South Africa

      “Musk would have been far worse”

      Cue, the plot of Moonraker.

  14. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "putting Tesla's ability to execute on full self-driving vehicles at risk"

    I neve saw falling out with Trump as a possible excuse for that.

  15. StrangerHereMyself Silver badge

    Advanced

    "Ninety percent of semiconductors are made in Taiwan"

    That's obviously clearly wrong. Ninety percent of the most advanced semiconductors are made in Taiwan (with the smallest node) and even that percentage is debatable. Intel's 4nm node is just as advanced and Samsung too is producing at the same or smaller node.

    1. Aaronage

      Re: Advanced

      Intel’s fabs are so advanced that they… choose TSMC fabs over their own. D’oh!

    2. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: Advanced

      "Ninety percent of the most advanced semiconductors are made in Taiwan (with the smallest node) and even that percentage is debatable."

      The word "advanced" is key. There doesn't seem to be a need to use them in ICBM's and consumer TV's. I'm not seeing an AI world that has a huge advantage over what is being done now. Not saying that I might change my mind next week given a killer app or two, but I've seen this sort of thing before and it's often years before the transition is made that futurists were telling us are just around the corner.

      1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        "a need to use them in ICBM's a"

        Actual military spec chips are generations behind the consumer or commercial SoA.

        Hardware for say the F35 would have been designed in the late 90's. Modern DRAM's have enough trouble coping with the alpha particles generated in their own packaging, never mind a potential nuclear event.

        1. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: "a need to use them in ICBM's a"

          "Hardware for say the F35 would have been designed in the late 90's. Modern DRAM's have enough trouble coping with the alpha particles generated in their own packaging, never mind a potential nuclear event."

          For supercomputers doing sonar analysis, they can bomb proof the installation rather than needing to have rad-hard chips. The wide temperature requirements for something going into a jet fighter will also mean older more forgiving designs.

          There's no point in building a new fab that isn't right on the bleeding edge and I think that skews thinking of politicians. If the fab is going to cost $5bn, saving $100mn by shifting capability downward isn't that great of an idea.

  16. Potemkine! Silver badge
    Holmes

    In your opinion,

    For how long can two megalomaniac egocentric SOB stay together in the same room?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: In your opinion,

      Depends on the size of the room, but that's why sending them both on a trip to the moon would be so funny.

      I don't think it would even have launched before they would already have a falling out :)

    2. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: In your opinion,

      For how long can two megalomaniac egocentric SOB stay together in the same room?"

      5,4,3,......

  17. heyrick Silver badge

    All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

    Yes, a 60% tariff will hurt. And even if there's some fiddling to somehow exempt Tesla, this is working on the assumption that China doesn't respond in kind.

    Yes, a 60% tariff will hurt. And it will hurt a lot of things. Trump might not appreciate how much stuff either comes from China or depends upon parts from there.

    Yes, a 60% tariff will hurt. And it'll come down to either Trump holding firm and damaging his country/job market, or a very embarrassing climb down that will be hard to spin as anything other than failed hubris.

    So all Melo needs to do is wait patiently for the caca to start to splatter the walls as it surely will.

    1. LionelB Silver badge

      Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

      Yeees, but I don't think he really does "wait patiently".

    2. the spectacularly refined chap Silver badge

      Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

      Remember this is Trump, who "never said" that Mexico would pay for the beautiful wall that wasn't built.

    3. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

      "Trump might not appreciate how much stuff either comes from China or depends upon parts from there."

      Most crucially, all of the electronics manufacture that has slowly been banned in the US that runs everything from dishwashers to traffic lights to train control systems.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

        "that has slowly been banned in the US"

        Who banned it?

        1. heyrick Silver badge

          Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

          "Who banned it?"

          Accountants. Stockholders. Everybody who realised that things could be made cheaper so they could pocket the difference.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

            Ah, so its the same style of 'ban' as the 'book bans' the left keep blithering on about. Gotcha!

            1. heyrick Silver badge
              Happy

              Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

              "Ah, so its the same style of 'ban' as"

              Apples and... Hurst Performance Shifters?

              Gotcha.

          2. MachDiamond Silver badge

            Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

            "Everybody who realised that things could be made cheaper so they could pocket the difference."

            Don't forget the do-gooders that got things outlawed or made very very expensive to do in the US. I'm all for a clean environment, but not everybody/country is so companies that rely on chemical processes and large scale industrial plants such as metal refining will find it easiest to relocate. At the same time, they can implement brand new technologies without the baggage of having huge installed infrastructure that will have to be taken down. It's not just down to prices. Having a complete supply chain in one place is also very important. Look what happens to companies in the US where there's a strike at some ports. All of a sudden companies that are running on JIT deliveries wind up missing components and have to shut down production. It's not like those parts can be put on a truck and driven to the US from Asia and airfreight can be a non-starter for heavy/bulky items. A lot of auto plants in the US have a small airstrip nearby. If they run short of some parts that can be fit in a small jet, it's not cheap, but it's less expensive than shutting down production lines to go to that extreme while a more economical truck is enroute with a larger supply of those parts. A 747 cargo jet from the other side of the world is less useful. More cost and customs to deal with as well. Politicians are barely able to do first-order approximations of the fallout that can occur with their feel-good legislation. They don't even bother to think about what sort of knock-on effects those will have. Rare-Earth metals are unfortunately named and there's plenty in the US. One big problem is Thorium. It's a "radioactive hazardous waste" since there isn't enough demand for it and that scares off investors. China fixed that by taking possession of the Thorium from it's mining companies to stockpile for later. Mining has also been demonized in the US so that's another impediment to opening new operations somewhere. Magnaquench (division of GM) selling the basic patents for NdFeB (neo) magnets to China wasn't a help either.

    4. Orv Silver badge

      Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

      It won't be that embarrassing. His supporters will just claim he never said it. That's part of how authoritarians enforce their power -- by forcing people to believe contradictory things.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: All Musk needs to do is sit tight awhile.

        "His supporters will just claim he never said it"

        You mean like how Biden's lackies have changed the official transcripts over and over again to convince people he didn't say what he actually said?

        https://www.nbcnews.com/video/white-house-press-secretary-clarifies-biden-s-garbage-comment-on-trump-supporters-223088709509

        https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/01/white-house-altered-biden-transcript-00186762

        They have form for this

        https://www.westernjournal.com/white-house-alters-official-transcript-cover-stunning-biden-gaffe/

        https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2911596/white-house-forced-alter-transcript-biden-riley-gaffe/

        https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3016482/white-house-corrects-bidens-remarks/

  18. Howard Sway Silver badge
    Gimp

    Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

    Trump’s Team Is Already Sick of Elon Musk for example

    Musk’s ongoing presence at the resort has some members of Trump’s entourage viewing him as the “guest that wouldn’t leave.”

    “He definitely inserts himself all the time, that’s his style,” Swisher explained about the South African billionaire to CNN on Monday. “I’ve heard from Trump people, calling me saying, ‘Oh, wow. This is odd’. And it is.”

    Inserting himself all the time certainly sounds very true to character for everybody's favourite "tech genius".

    1. codejunky Silver badge

      Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

      @Howard Sway

      "Trump’s Team Is Already Sick of Elon Musk for example"

      This sounds like the kind of hearsay similar to George Clooney being ticked off with Obama for leaving him holding the bag. Clooney having Biden pushed out and then taking flack for the dems losing the presidential race and Obama hiding in the shadows escaping criticism.

      1. LionelB Silver badge

        Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

        But whatabout, whatabout, whatab... Oh, look! A squirrel!

        1. codejunky Silver badge

          Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

          @LionelB

          "But whatabout, whatabout, whatab... Oh, look! A squirrel!"

          Exactly but Howard Sway posted it. Kinda like the prediction in this article.

          1. LionelB Silver badge

            Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

            Woooosh!

            1. codejunky Silver badge

              Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

              @LionelB

              "Woooosh!"

              I only have 2 interpretations of your comment coming to mind and I was giving the benefit of the doubt in my response. What did you mean?

        2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

          Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

          Oh, look! A squirrel!

          Exeunt stage left a squirrel, pursued by a formerly-Romanian dog..

    2. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

      Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

      The thought that people on the Trump team have seen something they think is odd fills me with genuine horror. Cthulhu has risen!

      1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Coat

        "Cthulhu has risen!"

        Not yet but soon

        Keep chanting.

        Just one more pandemic and He will rise and then everyone will appreciate the Cultist slogan "No lives matter."

    3. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

      "Trump’s Team Is Already Sick of Elon Musk for example"

      Elon claims he doesn't own a home and a secure resort compound in Florida is certainly better than living in the back of a Gulfstream jet. For a multi-billionare with 11 kids (official score), you'd think that having a proper home would be de rigueur. There would be a lot of naughts comparing my worth to Elon's, yet I have a home that's paid off.

      1. Orv Silver badge

        Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

        Last I heard he was building a compound in Austin for himself and the rest of his polycule, but he was having trouble getting any of them to commit to living in it.

        1. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

          "Last I heard he was building a compound in Austin for himself and the rest of his polycule"

          Perhaps, but it won't be made of glass. All of that material is definitely NOT going to be used for an Elon home build.

          Elon doesn't seem to be in one place for very long so who would be looking after his offspring? Would there need to be a nanny apartment wing to the house? He's been very rude towards his children's mothers so I highly doubt they'll be moving in.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Plenty of stories about how Trump is already getting sick of Musk

      Inserting himself all the time certainly sounds very true to character for everybody's favourite "tech genius"

      Ah, that explains the number of offspring. And possibly why they too cannot stand him.

      1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        "And possibly why they too cannot stand him."

        Some couldn't stand their own birth gender.

        Unfortunately coping with other's "Feelings" is not really in the skill-set of "The World's Richest Man" and that seems to have set him off on his Crusade to "Destroy the woke mind virus."

        Sad.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "And possibly why they too cannot stand him."

          "birth gender"

          Actually it is sex, not gender, and it is determined at the moment of conception. Babies are not like Schrodinger's cat.

          But your statement explains a LOT.

        2. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: "And possibly why they too cannot stand him."

          "Some couldn't stand their own birth gender."

          I wonder if it's another way to show displeasure to their parents for being "so unfair" more than gender dysphoria. "What can I do to really piss of the folks?" Tatts, piercings, death metal and attitude are so old school.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What happens then?

    I think that Leon will try to buy a whole country.

    He tried to start with giving Mr BREXIT liar, Farage $100M but that isn't possible under UK law (The likes of Leon does not care about the law... he is above it or at least can buy anyone getting in his way)

    So, he'll go somewhere else and buy the country. That will guarantee him a seat at the WTO table. Naturally, Trumpo won't like it as Leon will get more minutes of Pox Spews than him but unless he nukes that country, there is little he can do about it...

    Buckle up people, tighten those belts as 2025-2029 is not going to be nice for anyone including Trumpo.

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      "unless he nukes that country, there is little he can do about it..."

      Just remember who you're talking about, and what SCOTUS has given him for official acts.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "unless he nukes that country, there is little he can do about it..."

        SCOTUS has not 'given' the president anything, they just confirmed what the US constitution says.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Miracle

    Its a miracle that it hasn't happened already.

    Two malignant narcissists are not going to play nice for any real length of time.

    The DOGE idea is a joke - its an appointed executive branch office that can at most advise on cuts. So much of what Vivek and Musk want to do with DOGE will run up against the fact that those departments are created by Congress in law and funded by Congress in law. They seem to think they will be walking around with a video clip of trump rasping 'you're fired!' getting rid of people and departments like the federal government is a corporation they own.

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      " fact that those departments are created by Congress in law and funded by Congress in law. "

      Now there you go confusing all those MAGAots with your "Facts."

      OTOH the members of the Feral Society on SCOTUS have given him absolute immunity for acts taken as POTUS so he can simply ignore the law.*

      *Rather like a character mentioned frequently in the Book of Daniel. Spoiler Alert. He's not the Second Coming.

  21. Mitoo Bobsworth

    Trump doesn't have friends

    He has transactional relationships.

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      "He has transactional relationships."

      Definitely one of the keys to understanding the FOCF's "perosnality"

      Along with not wasting your time asking him stupid questions.

      "Do you feel you've lost?" A. No. Never. Ever.

      Or "Do you think you've won." A. Yes. Because I'm great and if the numbers don't say so it's because the other side cheated.

  22. Ace2 Silver badge

    Here’s the most fun one I’m looking forward to: what do you suppose will happen when the Joe Rogan / UFC / Barstool crowd figures out that the Opus Dei twits are serious about banning porn?

    1. jake Silver badge

      Even more interesting is what do you think is going to happen when Trump bans all private gun ownership in the US, so no good Gawd-fearing Republican can ever attempt to take a pot-shot at him again?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Where do you get this crap from?

      2. Wang Cores

        These guys are ready to turn in their weapons now that they got a boot on everyone's neck. It was never about self-defense or sport.

      3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        IT Angle

        "so no good Gawd-fearing Republican can ever attempt to take a pot-shot at him again?"

        Yes, it was interesting that the two apparent attempts were both made by registered registered Republicans.

        All real democrats know that eventually you to either retire or lose. Dictators literally cannot cope with that idea. This is why they both hate and fear the democratic process. The idea that one day no one will know who they are, or care.

        OTOH I do believe that now would be an excellent idea to run a project identifying the weaknesses of the US democratic (and legal) systems that have allowed so many bad actors to get into positions of power.

        Of course it could be said the whole of this election has already been a massive pen test by a well financed and motivated "Red team" :-(

        The question is then what to do about creating a level playing field for all sides. I'd suggest this would include the influence of unregulated media (and let's call a spade a spade here. Rupert Murdoch) and state voting boundaries. The US invented "Jerrymandering"

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "so no good Gawd-fearing Republican can ever attempt to take a pot-shot at him again?"

          "All real democrats know that eventually you to either retire or lose"

          So is this why they initially didn't want Biden to step down and are now oh so hecking salty that they lost with Kamala and are busy throwing tantrums on social media?

          Dianne Feinstein? RBG? If RBG had retired Obama could have had another SCOTUS seat but nope, she would not retire.

          It seems like US politicians refuse to retire, they want to die in office.

          1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
            Unhappy

            "So is this why they initially didn't want Biden to step down "

            No.

            Because Biden knew that every presidential election where the incumbent is replaced by their own side lost.

            IOW swapping candidates any time after announcing you're running --> Lose.

            And you'll notice that the democrats have made few (any?) claims about election fraud completely at odds with the FOCE four years of whining and b**ching about it, echoed by his assorted sock-puppets and despite the evidence from the Jack Smith investigation that he knew he'd lost.

            Anyone playing the "Oh but he acted in good faith, he really believed he'd won" card should know that was total bu***hit.

            IOW he flat out lied for 4 years. Hope you're ready for when he turns on his base, sinks his fangs in and you finally realise who the snake is, and who you are.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: "So is this why they initially didn't want Biden to step down "

              "Because Biden knew"

              Not sure he knew what day it was... This was not Biden at fault here. This was his handlers, the Democrat party machine and the media desperately propping up a failing president until it all came crashing down and there was no more denying reality.

              "And you'll notice that the democrats have made few (any?) claims about election fraud"

              Are you serious? All the claims about voter suppression, people being unable to vote in the storm hit counties resulting in a Trump win, claims of voter registration fraud in PA, even Biden's cyber security lead for his 2020 campaign is calling for a forensic audit of 2024.

              And not to mention all the social media screeching about how Elon and Russia hacked the voting machines with starlink.

              Its just not all over the news as the Democrat shill pundits are just smart enough to know that all they did after 2020 will come and bite them hard.

              You also seem to forget Hillary's constant blithering on about how 2016 was stolen from her.

          2. cmdrklarg
            Facepalm

            Re: "so no good Gawd-fearing Republican can ever attempt to take a pot-shot at him again?"

            **** If RBG had retired Obama could have had another SCOTUS seat but nope, she would not retire.

            No he wouldn't. Ol' Turtle Neck Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings for Merrick Garland for SCOTUS after Antonin Scalia died, citing that a year was "too close to the election" to hold hearings, effectively blocking the nomination.

            Had RBG retired McConnell would have done the same damned thing. (Never mind that when RBG died he fast-tracked Barrett's hearings one month before the 2020 election - fucking hypocrite).

            1. Orv Silver badge

              Re: "so no good Gawd-fearing Republican can ever attempt to take a pot-shot at him again?"

              She should have retired before the Republicans took the Senate in 2014, then there would have been no problem replacing her.

        2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

          Re: "so no good Gawd-fearing Republican can ever attempt to take a pot-shot at him again?"

          The US invented "Jerrymandering"

          While I agree with most of your post, look up "Rotten Boroughs". Gerrymandering was invented here centuries before the corrupt US made it a national sport..

          1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
            Unhappy

            "The US invented "Jerrymandering""

            Well......

            The practice was known in the UK (and TBH probably everywhere across Europe) long before.

            But the Merkins did give us the term as related here

            1. jake Silver badge

              Re: "The US invented "Jerrymandering""

              Note that you are pronouncing the term wrong.

              Gerry pronounced his name with a hard G.

      4. MachDiamond Silver badge

        "Even more interesting is what do you think is going to happen when Trump bans all private gun ownership in the US"

        They'll just make more and not tell The Man about them.

        It's not Presidential prerogative to delete sections of the US Constitution. That pot-shot was so unusual as to wonder if there was some planned failure in security should such a situation arise. I've worked at speeches by past US Presidents and the security was intense. I would expect it would be even more so for a sitting President. The first time I was the lighting operator and was given a full pat-down and wanding since the lighting console was in a high and direct line-of-sight to the stage. Prior to that, I had to provide information for background checks. Being a 'good boy' paid off since a few of the people that worked for the company got a down check and could not be on-site.

        1. Orv Silver badge

          It may not be Presidential prerogative to delete sections of the US Constitution, but the Supreme Court has given Trump immunity, so the question of "who's going to stop him?" arises.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            SCOTUS has not given the president anything. It has confirmed what the LAW is.

    2. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      "Opus Dei twits are serious about banning porn?"

      Even better.

      That "Anal" is everything not P-in-V.

      The phrase "American Taliban" seems really quite appropriate to the people who've supported the FOCF's election.

      Most Merkins probably have never really given much thought to "The separation of Church and State," but I guess you don't really notice something till it's gone.

  23. FrankAlphaXII

    The AI "art" has got to stop. Neither Leon nor Trump are from Thailand, and in Leon's case the Thai government isn't his biggest fan.

  24. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge
    Trollface

    Cage match 2025

    Musk's physique has declined enough that he can swap Zuck for Trump in a fair cage match. I expect there to be folding chairs, folding tables, a springy floor, and a break area with fast food. Musk has a chance this time as long as he doesn't show up too wasted.

    I know it's not tradition, but I'd like both fighters to be clothed as much as possible for this one.

  25. MachDiamond Silver badge

    Mechanism

    Elon bowed out of Mr Trumps business leaders group on the first go around. I find that a good indicator of Elon's pissy attitude. Will that come into play again when Elon can't go everywhere and see everything? If invited, I would have swallowed some pride and stayed with the group as it would be instant cred regardless of the President taking any advice to heart. I've read a few (auto)biographies of senior executives of large corporations and been to a few speeches by those leads and senior retired politicians as well. What they say and don't say show how much I don't know about business and the sorts of things I never even thought to consider. It's a real eye opener and I'd do well to hob nob with those sorts while on a Presidential committee with them.

    Elon might also find out that some things react violently when exposed to the light. He could be in a position to see things that much more important people will not want discussed, described or known outside a certain tight group. No amount of personal protection would insulate him from ... measures being taken. I'll take bets against Elon being too clueless to see the stake lined pits. I think he'll blindly walk off the edge of one at a certain point. After that, the other guy will step down "to spend more time with his family and other business concerns".

    Elon's business competitors are going to have their attorneys on a hair trigger just watching for any unlawful preferential benefits stemming from the job.

  26. section83b

    2 stable geniuses walk into a bar..

    You'd think one would duck. Anyway - Musk actually is hard working and smart - it's hard to picture him being a successful toady/sycophant to a blundering clown. Sure, they'll fall out. Musk (and probably Kanye) will ultimate be a darling of the liberal side once again by the next election cycle.

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Coat

      "it's hard to picture him being a successful toady/sycophant to a blundering clown."

      And yet that's exactly what he's been doing.

      His accountants must have told him he can make a f**kton more cash with the FOCF's tax "plan".

      Although I imagine it must be difficult to keep biting your tongue when the FOCF says something you know is completely retarded yet again.

      Navigating around the shark pool of the FOCF's inner circle is also likely to be difficult with Musk's "unconventional" social skills. You wonder how many innocent remarks have put him on different peoples personal enemies list? I don't think he'll be getting a card from Boris Epshteyn* this season. I sometimes think he needs some sort of "Social facilitator." Too bad Ghislaine Maxwell in unavailable. Perhaps he can ask his new surrogate dad pal to help?

      *Can anyone else hear a slight trace of Gene Wilder in the background?

  27. Cliffwilliams44 Silver badge

    Oh please

    So not this tech journal is stooped to writing a bunch bollox!

  28. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    Remember this discusion *is* on topic for the article

    Unlike most threads here for which it is not on topic.

  29. Mike 137 Silver badge

    "putting Tesla's ability to execute on full self-driving vehicles at risk"

    Could anything achieve this better than the history of Tesla's attempts so far?

  30. thexfile

    Musk is forbidden from selling Tesla Cybertruck in China.

  31. PTW
    Pint

    Seems like 2/3 of the posters on here should step away from the kdb, and go back to watching the View, and clutching their pearls.

    Also, back a horse/play the lottery/go to a casino, as they're so good at predicting the future, good luck.

    It's POETiS day ---->

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Coat

      "Seems like 2/3 of the posters on here should step away from the kdb,..."

      Well you score points for not posting AC...

      But then looking at the list. 252 visible posts since 2012 that's 21 posts a year.

      Apparently.

  32. willyslick

    One is assuming here that tRump will fulfill any of his promises at all - just as he failed to do in his first term (except tax cuts for his rich buddies). With this in mind, I would rather expect tRump to just forget his promises now that they got him elected, and defer to Xitler.

  33. Skiver

    I have absolutely no doubt that the clash of big egos is going result in Elmo being persona non grata the administration. The only question is how long will it take.

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