By Carol Lucas
So, the topic of the week, unless you have been living in a cave, is the dissolution of the biggest bromance since Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh in the movie Lethal Weapon, which came out in 1987.
I found myself having to research exactly what the word means, and I found this:“It’s an affectionate friendship between men.”
Merriam-Webster defines it as “a close nonsexual friendship between men.” The word entered the dictionary in 2010.
To write or not to write about this break-up? That is the question.
Come on, dear reader, you don’t think for one moment that I wouldn’t jump into the fray. By now you know me way too well to think otherwise.
But what approach do I take? The amount of guesswork when trying to analyze exactly what happened between 47 and Musk must surely rival that in the casinos in Vegas on any given day. All you have to do is flip from one channel to the next. The opinions are endless.
But let’s start at the beginning and try to determine what got these two narcissistic egos together. Before encouraging others to “take the red pill,” Musk cut checks for Democrats ranging from Eric Garcetti (then just a Los Angeles City councilman) to John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee. Like others in business, Musk curried favor by balancing his support between both parties, as his donation history shows on Open Secrets, a nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics. (Yahoo).
It is interesting to note that the billionaire also started out as a heavy Trump skeptic, saying in October 2015 that it would be “embarrassing” if Trump won the GOP nomination, much less the presidency.
As closely as I can determine, it was after Trump’s felony conviction that Musk came out for the MAGA leader. “Indeed, great damage was done today to the public’s faith in the American legal system,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
One has to pause and wonder what brought about such a change of heart. Inevitably, power and money, and not necessarily in that order. Much like licking your finger and holding it up to the wind.
Fast forward to the past few days.
What happens when the richest person and the most powerful politician have a knock-down, drag-out fight? Take a look at the following timeline and draw your own conclusions.
On May 30, Musk left his role in the administration after a disagreement over the spending plan of the Big Beautiful Bill. Let’s not forget the going away “party” and that, in his leave-taking, Musk was presented with what looked like a “key” to the White House. That irony was not lost on me — more representative of a key to vital information that never should have been made available. But I digress.
On June 5, Trump and Musk began feuding online by exchanging a series of insults on social media.
In one of his jabs made on X, Musk claimed that “Trump would have lost the election” without him.
That day, Trump was asked about Musk’s online comments during an Oval Office press conference, to which he admitted that their friendship had soured.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” he said, adding that he was “very disappointed” in Musk. (People.com) Mild stuff for 47’s usual bluster.
As the jousting continued, 47 came out with this: “The easiest way to save money in our budget, billions and billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon’s governmental subsidies and contracts. Musk responded, “Bring it on.”
It’s wasn’t a one-way street, however. After that volley, Musk called for Trump’s impeachment and dared him to cut funding for his companies.
Musk also said he was accelerating the decommissioning of his Dragon spacecraft, which the U.S. relies on to carry American astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.
But hours later, he appeared to back down from that threat, saying in response to a post on X urging him to cool off: “Good advice. OK, we won’t decommission Dragon.”
Late on June 2, Musk said he was dropping the “really big bomb” – suggesting, without evidence, that Trump appears in unreleased files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Someone online posed a question that is crucial at this point: “What do the Dems do, short of gloating, regarding this “best buds break-up,” this “bros to foes” event? As delicious as it may seem, caution is advised.
An anonymous individual replied with this: “I understand that it’s hard to resist the temptation. Musk is out there attacking the Republican reconciliation bill as a “disgusting abomination.” He’s threatening to use his money to help “fire” Republicans who go along with it.” I would add to that warning, “beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” Those horses can get you every time.
I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when reading all of this. All I could think of was 47’s caustic comment about Putin and Zelinsky, saying they were like “boys fighting in the park, and that we should probably just let them continue to fight.” Ah, Donnie, know thyself!
One commentator referenced Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,”’ which, of course, I immediately pounced upon. “In his eulogy for Caesar, Shakespeare’s Mark Antony famously — and, of course, disingenuously — claims that he came “to bury Caesar, not to praise him.”
We may never know the real reasons for why this rift happened. More importantly, we are still awaiting the fallout and what it will mean for both parties. What we do know is the onslaught of threats has been fast and furious.
And so, to those Democrats who are so anxious to align with Musk, reaping the spoils, so to speak, you should never forget for one moment that he really is a chainsaw-wielding, bureaucracy-breaking villain. He’s done immeasurable damage to our government.
He may be gone from Washington, but, to paraphrase Mark Antony’s speech, the evil Musk has done lives on after him. And more broadly he has proven himself to be an enemy of democracy.
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
