Summary

The White House confirmed that Elon Musk is working as a “special government employee” under Trump, granting him significant authority to cut federal spending.

Musk has a government email, office space, and access to sensitive Treasury systems. His team abruptly shut down USAID headquarters on Monday.

Musk is consolidating unchecked power, raising legal and ethical concerns, particularly given his federal contracts.

Musk is unpaid and may not be required to disclose financial interests.

    • chuckleslord@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      As Jon Stewart said “it has been done within the confines of our legal system, therefore it’s not fascist”

  • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    “Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.

    Any bets on how long it will be until Elon does something so unpopular that there’s blowback on Trump and it becomes “Elon acted on this alone and I had nothing to do with it.”

    • w3dd1e@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      I insist on only calling him President Musk because I know when he takes enough attention and credit from Trump, Trump will get mad and tell Elon to fuck off.

        • w3dd1e@lemm.ee
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          2 days ago

          We can only hope. This morning, I saw multiple news articles with “President Musk” in the title. I suspect it’s intentional for that reason. But at minimum, I hope it’s starting.

  • xzot746@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    So is there no conflict of interest with the companies he runs getting federal contracts? Don’t politicians need to put their companies into some type of trust where they can’t run it and make decisions that would be in their favour? I mean I know it doesn’t work like that with stick trading (cough cough Pelosi).

    • IhaveCrabs111@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Company he runs? You really think he has time to run 5 companies while jerking off on twitter and now is spending his time jerking off in the treasury. The man just does what ever he feels. None of it is remotely called “work” he’s basically a walking jerk off

    • hydroxycotton@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I brought up the conflict of interest to a trump coworker and he deadass said, “I get the conflict of interest, but I just don’t care.” The mask is fully off.

      Edit: not that I’m surprised, just depressed and somewhat bewildered

    • T00l_shed@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Trump did away with the trust thing. And they let him because it wasn’t a law, it was just something that was understood to be done. No talk of him doing it this time either.

  • Randomgal@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

    But he’s autistic guys! We’re all misunderstanding, there is no Nazi coup going on.

    • Nastybutler@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I know you are joking, but he’s literally brought in sofa beds to his offices so he and his young minions can live there while they dismantle the government

      • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        If he’s living there, I wonder if he’s still doing illegal drugs. Would be hilarious to have some DEA agents show up unannounced.

  • frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    Employees get paid. He’s a special government intern. Violating internship guidelines to prevent abuse of power using unpaid interns in a ‘special’ way. Also these asshats were up in arms about ‘Special Counsel’ investigations being illegal like 2 weeks ago. We good with those again, or no?

  • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    The richest man on the planet who once joked about ending world hunger is cutting federal spending of the richest and most powerful nation on the planet. Let that sink in for a moment.

    • Cort@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Doubt it. I bet they’ll try to classify any of his communications as presidential advice, which would make them privileged communications not subject to foia

    • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
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      2 days ago

      Fat chance. I read he brought in his own server and connected it to the network at the OMB to spam emails to federal employees. That seems highly illegal.

      • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Gosh, I remember a quaint time in the olden times when having your OWN EMAIL SERVER was something worthy of being lined up against a wall and shot for.

        Guess that only applies to Democratic candidates for President named Hillary.

        Also, and it bears repeating - I guess this would have been jUsTaSbAd under Kamala, because something something neoliberal argle bargle status quo genocide…

      • wagesj45@fedia.io
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        2 days ago

        I tend to agree, but we should at least try. Pull every lever of governance we have for as long as we have it.

        • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
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          2 days ago

          I don’t disagree but it’s not as if we’re dealing with people who have any sort of integrity or honor, who’ll accept when they’ve done something wrong.

      • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Legality is just words on a piece of paper if nobody is going to enforce it.