Is Elon Musk serving two masters?
Is Elon Musk serving two masters?
Elon Musk’s efforts to slash the U.S. government could be a huge boon to China—a country to which Musk has significant financial ties.
Summary
Elon Musk’s powerful role in Trump’s administration has sparked concerns over divided loyalties and unprecedented influence in government.
His plan to slash federal agencies, notably USAID, risks undermining America’s diplomatic, economic, and security interests domestically and abroad.
Meanwhile, his booming Tesla operations and extensive financial ties with China have significantly boosted his wealth and global market position.
Critics and lawmakers warn that prioritizing personal gain over national security may erode U.S. influence, inadvertently empowering rival powers and destabilizing international order.
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Short answer: No.
Long answer: He only serves himself. There are no two masters.
He serves his class, he is not alone.
He is rich enough to be his own class.
Class isn't determined by wealth it is determined by relationship to production. He's still just a bourgeois capitalist. But I don't think you're off base. There could be certain social divisions among the ruling class, so that its possible Musk is actually trying to dominate the ruling class. These experiments are limited by material considerations, like law, infrastructure, economy, availability of natural resources or labor power -- but he's definitely trying something with these incredible stunts. No reason to believe someone in Musks position wouldn't try something like that.
I also think that a critical mass of the ruling class is supporting him, cheering him on even. So I'm not sure that those class divisions exist in a way that would create an opportunity to actually dominate, but perhaps to lead?
For now I still only see the national ruling class and international ruling class, divisions created by the proliferation of international capital. The internationalists need the national capitalists, but musk seems to be burning through the capitalists of a number of countries, particularly in the EU that doesn't support Musk's far right flirtations with fascism.