Democrats train fire on Musk as unelected billionaire dips in popularity

Leaders on left bet on Musk’s bravado to pull party out of political weeds as CEO eyes social security and health cuts

For most of the 17-minute interview, Elon Musk stuck to a script. He was just a tech guy on a mission to “eliminate waste and fraud” from government.

His slash-and-burn cost-cutting crusade was making “good progress actually”, he told the Fox Business commentator Larry Kudlow on Monday, despite sparking a backlash that has reverberated far beyond Washington.

Topics

Senate Republican says Musk ‘does not have the power to fire people’

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said Sunday that tech billionaire Elon Musk “does not have the power to fire people.” "Elon Musk does not have the power to fire people. The president of the United States ...
The Hill - Mar. 9
Top budget Democrat: GOP spending bill hands ‘a blank check to Elon Musk’

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, slammed the new House Republicans’ six-month stopgap funding bill, claiming it is a “blank check” for tech ...
The Hill - Mar. 8
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly to let go of his Tesla over Musk’s federal cuts

Arizona senator had also clashed with billionaire over the latter’s ‘traitor’ jibe after Kelly posted about his Ukraine visit. The Arizona Democratic senator Mark Kelly announced he was ditching ...
The Guardian - 2d
CNN host asks Democrat if 'a‑‑hole' Musk post is 'best way to communicate'

CNN host Brianna Keilar pressed Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) about her social media post that used curse words to attack billionaire Elon Musk over his efforts to reform and trim the size of the ...
The Hill - 3d
Mark Kelly fires back at Musk over 'traitor' accusation

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) hit back at tech billionaire Elon Musk after he called Kelly a "traitor" for visiting Ukraine and demanding the United States stand with Ukrainians in their ongoing war ...
The Hill - 6d
Attacker sets a woman on fire on a train and flees

Police say an assailant poured a liquid over a woman on a train in eastern Germany and set her on fire.
CBS News - 6h
Trump's populist platform gives way to billionaires' agenda

Inside President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, the populists and politicians are starting to take swings at the plutocrats — namely billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk.
NBC News - Mar. 8
Schumer assails Musk for claiming Social Security rife with fraud

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) on Tuesday slammed tech billionaire Elon Musk for claiming that Social Security is plagued by widespread fraud and that as many as 20 million “dead” ...
The Hill - 5d
Meet the federal worker who went rogue: ‘I hope that it lights a fire under people’

To billionaire Elon Musk and his cost-cutting team at the Department of Government Efficiency, Karen Ortiz may just be one of many faceless bureaucrats
ABC News - 6d
Democrats push investigation into Trump, Musk White House Tesla event

Senate Democrats are seeking an investigation into President Trump and adviser Elon Musk's use of the White House to promote Musk's business interests, alleging a violation of federal ethics laws.
The Hill - 3d
The Populist vs. the Billionaire: Bannon, Musk and the Battle Within MAGA

President Trump has made clear he wants to keep both men and their allies within his movement, but the tensions are growing.
The New York Times - Mar. 9
Vance: Musk has made some ‘mistakes’ with DOGE’s federal worker firings

Vice President Vance said during an interview that senior President Trump adviser Elon Musk has made some “mistakes” with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) firings of federal ...
The Hill - 1d
Democrats unveil bill to reinstate veterans fired in Trump workforce cuts

Democrats are proposing a measure to reinstate veterans who were recently fired from the federal government without cause, which has affected an estimated 6,000 veterans who make up about 30 ...
The Hill - 6d
Actually, Democrats are not in disarray

We won’t restore democratic norms through rapid-fire press releases, but by winning elections.
The Hill - 2d
Elon Musk says "massive cyberattack" is causing outages at X

Elon Musk's social media site X wasn't working for thousands of users on Monday, with the billionaire claiming a cyberattack.
CBS News - 6d
Wisconsin Democrats look to harness anger with Musk in court race

Wisconsin Democrats are launching a full-court press against Elon Musk as they look to use angry voter sentiment against him as a tool to turn out voters in the high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court ...
The Hill - 6d
DOGE complicates Musk's CEO roles

Presented by Ericsson - Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration is complicating his business ventures, as the tech billionaire pushes forward with efforts to slash the federal government and ...
The Hill - 3d
Federal funding cuts lead FEMA to cancel National Fire Academy courses

The cancellation of courses at National Fire Academy comes as the federally funded institution was set to welcome a new set of fire safety officers for training next week.
CBS News - Mar. 8
Vance acknowledges Elon Musk has made 'mistakes' with mass firings

Vice President JD Vance acknowledged Friday that Elon Musk has made “mistakes” in a wide-ranging interview with NBC News.
NBC News - 1d
Rubio and Trump Officials Clash With Elon Musk in an Explosive Meeting

Simmering anger at the billionaire’s unchecked power spilled out in a remarkable Cabinet Room meeting. The president quickly moved to rein in Mr. Musk.
The New York Times - Mar. 8
Elon Musk could be a bridge between the U.S. and China — but for which country’s benefit?

Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s financial interests in China have raised concern that they could influence his work as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump.
NBC News - 12h
Elon Musk visits NSA after saying agency needs ‘overhaul’

Tech billionaire and senior President Trump adviser Elon Musk visited the National Security Agency (NSA) this week after calling for an "overhaul" of the agency earlier this month. Musk, who is ...
The Hill - 2d
Elon Musk Is Making Republicans Sweat and Giving Democrats a New Target

His unusual governing arrangement with President Trump is opening Republicans up to being yoked politically to Mr. Musk, who polls show is broadly unpopular.
The New York Times - Mar. 8
Musk outlines DOGE work in rare TV interview

Tech billionaire Elon Musk offered new details about the work of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Monday, while doubling down on the group’s efforts amid mounting ...
The Hill - 5d
The public is losing patience with Trump — it's time for Democrats to pounce

It isn’t enough for Trump and his Republican goons to stumble into major policy failures — Democrats must also find effective messaging that shows voters that their so-called populist heroes are ...
The Hill - 4d
Democrats introduce bill forcing Trump administration to rehire fired veterans

Democrats want to force President Donald Trump's administration to rehire veterans who were laid off amid efforts to reshape the federal government and its workforce.
ABC News - 6d
Rubio Seeks Cease-Fire in Ukraine After Reaching His Own With Musk

After blowing up at Elon Musk, Secretary of State Marco Rubio aims to bolster his position. He is seeing Saudi and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia and allied diplomats in Canada.
The New York Times - 5d
Villanova fires Kyle Neptune: Jay Wright's successor failed to make Big Dance in three years as program dipped

Villanova has missed the past three NCAA Tournaments after making the Final Four in Wright's finale in 2021-22
CBS Sports - 1d
Schumer Under Fire as Pelosi and Other Democrats Criticize Shutdown Retreat

Privately, many Senate Democrats conceded that their leader was doing his job by protecting his members from a tough vote and making a politically painful decision. But the backlash from his party ...
The New York Times - 2d
Elon Musk claims ‘massive cyber-attack’ caused X outages

Billionaire owner speculates ‘coordinated group/and or country’ involved after platform was unresponsive for many. Elon Musk claimed on Monday afternoon that X was targeted in a “massive ...
The Guardian - 6d
Musk says DOGE is in almost every federal agency and plans to double staff

Trump adviser and tech billionaire Elon Musk said Monday that he plans to double the size of his staff in the Department of Government Efficiency, which he noted is already working inside nearly ...
NBC News - 5d
Elon Musk, George Soros eye Wisconsin Supreme Court race

The Wisconsin Supreme Court race has quickly become a battle of many billionaires, with the ideologically conservative candidate backed by a PAC connected to Elon Musk and the ideologically liberal ...
CBS News - 4d
Trump, Musk fuel fears of Social Security cuts with 'fraud' talk

President Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk are ratcheting up false rhetoric about Social Security, repeatedly claiming the program wastes hundreds of billions of dollars in fraudulent ...
The Hill - 4d
Elon Musk’s White House role weighs on business empire

Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration is complicating his business ventures, as the tech billionaire pushes forward with efforts to slash the federal government and budget in the face of ...
The Hill - 4d
Bernie Sanders: Musk calling Mark Kelly a 'traitor' is 'beyond the pale'

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said the country is getting “sick and tired” of tech billionaire Elon Musk and slammed Musk’s accusation that Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is a traitor for visiting Ukraine ...
The Hill - 5d
Watch: Trump buys Tesla alongside Musk at White House

President Trump joined tech billionaire and adviser Elon Musk on Tuesday at the White House, where he bought a Tesla vehicle. “I’m gonna buy because number one, it’s a great product. As good as it ...
The Hill - 5d
Beshear compares Trump, Musk to 'Thelma & Louise'

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) compared President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk to "Thelma & Louise," saying that potential cuts to Medicaid will "decimate" rural health care. "Look at his ...
The Hill - 2d
Putin’s Cease-Fire Demands, and a Democratic Flip on the Shutdown

Plus, two astronauts’ long wait for a ride home.
The New York Times - 2d
Fire Damages 4 Tesla Cybertrucks in Seattle

Federal and local law enforcement authorities are investigating what caused the Sunday night fire, which came after a series of attacks against Tesla in rebuke of its chief executive, Elon Musk.
The New York Times - 5d