Rantz: Democrats attempt lazy strategy to cause riff between Trump and Musk

In an insultingly and annoyingly transparent move, Democrats have begun referring to Elon Musk as “President Elon Musk” and the president-elect as “Vice President Donald Trump,” hoping to sow discord between the two.

In unison, Democrat lawmakers and their media toadies have started using the same talking points and phrases. Rep. Nancy Pelosi called Trump a “puppet” of Musk, while Squad grandmother Rep. Pramila Jayapal called Musk the “shadow president” that Trump obeys. Purple-haired Rep. Rosa DeLauro gave an unhinged rant on the House floor calling Musk the president, while Rep. Brad Sherman spoke to the press, forgetting to say “President Musk” before awkwardly reciting the scripted line.

Meanwhile, left-wing media amplified the talking points. Insufferable Adam Kinzinger jumped in on the action on CNN, while a news report from The Washington Post framed Musk as a possible co-president. Of course, MSNBC joined the fray as well.

It’s not a subtle strategy, but a lazy one that hinges on provoking Trump into thinking that he’s being disrespected or outshined by Musk, hoping jealousy will drive a wedge between him and the billionaire. It’s likely to work as well as the concerted effort to endlessly repeat “Trump’s Project 2025” — meaning, it won’t work at all.

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Why are Democrats pushing lazy “President Musk” line against Trump?

The Democrats created the “President Elon Musk” line of attack in the aftermath of a failed vote on a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open.

The original CR was criticized by Trump, Musk, and many conservatives for containing too much wasteful spending. They were right. Speaker Mike Johnson pursued a so-called Plan B CR, but that failed. All but two Democrats voted to effectively shut down the government, then immediately took to TV and social media to complain that the government will shut down.

That Trump and Musk had so much influence over the process irked Democrats, who thought they’d sneak through billions of dollars toward pet projects. Trump had influence over the Republican lawmakers, while Musk used X to help rally the troops to show examples of wasteful spending.

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It’s about undermining an important partnership

In response to this display of influence, Democrats are trying to undermine the Trump-Musk partnership by suggesting that Musk holds the real power, relegating Trump to a subordinate role.

Rep. Brendan Boyle remarked, “The leader of the GOP is Elon Musk. He’s now calling the shots.” Similarly, Rep. Dan Goldman suggested that “Elon Musk has Donald Trump in a vise.” Yawn.

This strategy overlooks the mutual benefits of a Trump-Musk partnership.

Musk’s role as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aligns with Trump’s agenda to streamline government operations and reduce wasteful spending. Their shared objectives have fostered a collaborative relationship that appears to transcend personal ego. And it’s Musk, a billionaire with global influence, that is enacting Trump’s agenda. The president-elect has no reason to be jealous since he’s the one “using” Musk.

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Donald Trump won’t fall for the “President Elon Musk” strategy

The Democrats’ ploy also underestimates Trump’s political acumen. You’d think they’d learn a lesson from the last election where Trump was able to defeat a candidate backed by the media and $1 billion in donations.

As a seasoned strategist, Trump is likely aware of attempts to manipulate his relationships for political gain. Rather than succumbing to jealousy, he should recognize the value of maintaining a strong alliance with Musk, whose influence and resources can significantly bolster his administration’s initiatives.

The Democratic strategy of invoking “President Elon Musk” and “Vice President Donald Trump” to incite discord is yet another giant political miscalculation. As long as the Trump-Musk partnership yields tangible results, tired provocations by a party desperate to hang on to the little power it currently has is unlikely to have much effect other than to annoy the American public who can see right through their games.

Y’all know that the whole scripted “President Elon Musk” line by Democrats is solely meant to try to get President Donald Trump jealous so that he kicks @elonmusk to the curb, right?

It’s insultingly transparent. As if @realDonaldTrump would fall for that.

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) December 20, 2024

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