Elon Musk steps back from politics due to frustration and concerns for personal safety: WP
American billionaire Elon Musk, who until recently actively supported Donald Trump and was involved in political activities at the federal level, decided to leave politics. As informs The Washington Post, citing knowledgeable sources, said that the motivation for such a step was deep disappointment and awareness of the complexity of influencing political processes, as well as fears for personal safety.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, even last year Musk clearly understood the personal and financial risks involved in supporting Donald Trump, who is wary of many clients of the billionaire’s companies. However, despite the possible loss, he chose to openly support the Republican candidate, guided by his own ideological views on free speech, immigration and criminal policy, rather than a desire for political gain.
However, over time, his enthusiasm began to fade. As WP notes, the main factors of this were not only financial costs, but also the lack of real influence on decision-making. The experience of leading the Department of Public Administration Efficiency (DOGE), which he created, caused a particularly deep disappointment, which provoked a wave of protests and open opposition. Actions against him were held at charging stations and in Tesla car showrooms in different countries. In some cases, there was vandalism, arson and even shooting, which caused serious concern for Musk himself for his safety and the safety of his loved ones.
WP sources also note that another key factor in the refusal of political activity was Musk’s desire to fully focus on the management of Tesla and SpaceX, especially in the context of the continuation of the space program and the preparation of missions to Mars.
It will be recalled that on May 20, Musk announced his intention to significantly reduce the amount of funding for political projects. The decision is seen as a departure from support for the Republican Party, even though he was previously its biggest donor: According to Bloomberg, Musk has given roughly $250 million to various political groups in the 2024 election cycle, more than any other US election funder. A significant part of these funds was directed specifically to the campaign of Donald Trump.
As the publication reminds, it was because of Trump’s active support that Musk headed DOGE, a structure created to optimize the work of the federal government. However, already on April 1, the US president announced that the department would cease to exist in the near future. At the same time, it was announced that Musk will work in the state apparatus for no longer than 130 days in the status of a special government official.
According to Politico and ABC, Trump told his close circle that Musk will soon finish his duties in the White House, although the president himself publicly expressed his desire for the billionaire to stay “as long as possible.”
On April 3, US Vice President JD Vance announced that Musk had agreed to work with the administration for another six months as an adviser. And on April 23, Musk himself announced that starting in May, he will significantly reduce the amount of time he spends working with the administration, and instead will return to the active management of Tesla.
On May 20, Politico drew attention to Musk’s disappearance from public space in the United States. During the last month, Donald Trump did not mention him either in official speeches or on his social network Truth Social.
