Musk influence over Trump a ‘double-edged sword’ for GOP

[mystery-ak]

Musk influence over Trump a ‘double-edged sword’ for GOP
By
Samantha-Jo Roth
December 31, 2024 4:47 pm
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Since joining Donald Trump‘s inner circle, Elon Musk has increasingly flexed his political muscle, aggravating some of the president-elect’s most ardent supporters and increasing concerns over the high-profile billionaire’s growing influence.

The latest example came earlier this week after Trump sided with Musk over visas for high-tech workers, going against many in the MAGA base, including right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who wants to see the president-elect take a hard-line immigration policy with mass deportation of illegal immigrants.

Musk, who owns X, has been able to spread his message easily on the platform, underscoring the power he commands as an unelected “first buddy” of the incoming president. Earlier this month, Musk came out ahead of Trump and tanked a bipartisan funding bill in the House, which pushed the government close to a shutdown and sent lawmakers scrambling to negotiate a new bill.

“Elon comes with a double-edged sword. Incredibly powerful platform and incredibly powerful messaging tool. But at the same time, the simplicity that he portrays government and legislation — that’s just not how it works in the real world,” said Casey Burgat, the director of the legislative affairs program at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3273351/musk-influence-trump-double-edged-sword-tank-gop-prospects/

[Hoodat]

Since joining Donald Trump‘s inner circle, Elon Musk has increasingly flexed his political muscle, aggravating some of the president-elect’s most ardent supporters  .  .  .

.  .  .  by espousing Conservative values and rejecting Democrat spending policies.

[collins]

that's not it - it's their H1B visa push, conservatives think it's not America First and just a bone for cheap labor. They are also starting to get pissy about Trump's support for Mike Johnson to stay on as speaker.

[Hoodat]

Trump supports H1B visas.  Here's part of the transcript from the Republican debate hosted by FoxNews on March 9,2016:

KELLY: Welcome back everybody to the FOX News Republican presidential debate, live from the FOX theater here in Detroit. Let's get back now to the questions.

Mr. Trump, your campaign website to this day argues that more visas for highly skilled workers would, quote, "decimate American workers". However, at the CNBC debate, you spoke enthusiastically in favor of these visas. So, which is it?

TRUMP: I'm changing. I'm changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can't do it, we'll get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have.

So, we do need highly skilled, and one of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges. They'll go to Harvard, they'll go to Stanford, they'll go to Wharton, as soon as they're finished they'll get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately, they're not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/03/the-fox-news-gop-debate-transcript-annotated/

In 2015, Trump's position on illegals was to deport them, and then fast track their reentry into the country, granting them legal status.  There is a very wide divide between what Trump stands for and what his closest supporters think he stands for.

[libertybele]

Trump supports H1B visas.  Here's part of the transcript from the Republican debate hosted by FoxNews on March 9,2016:

KELLY: Welcome back everybody to the FOX News Republican presidential debate, live from the FOX theater here in Detroit. Let's get back now to the questions.

Mr. Trump, your campaign website to this day argues that more visas for highly skilled workers would, quote, "decimate American workers". However, at the CNBC debate, you spoke enthusiastically in favor of these visas. So, which is it?

TRUMP: I'm changing. I'm changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can't do it, we'll get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have.

So, we do need highly skilled, and one of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges. They'll go to Harvard, they'll go to Stanford, they'll go to Wharton, as soon as they're finished they'll get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately, they're not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/03/the-fox-news-gop-debate-transcript-annotated/

In 2015, Trump's position on illegals was to deport them, and then fast track their reentry into the country, granting them legal status.  There is a very wide divide between what Trump stands for and what his closest supporters think he stands for.

After Trump takes office we'll find out as I think things are going to happen very quickly; he himself has said that he has set a goal of many things getting accomplished his first 100 days in office.  So .... hold onto  your seats, we may be in for a roller-coaster ride.