In the world of business and politics, a few new relationships have recently sparked, such as the one between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. Musk and Trump have had a unique relationship over the past few years. From working together to disagreeing on important issues, their alliance has caught the attention of many. But what exactly is their relationship like, and how has it affected their public images and businesses?
In recent news, Musk has taken a big role in Trump’s administration, leading the Department of Government Efficiency. This department focuses on reducing wasteful federal spending and improving government operations. On Feb. 11, Musk joined Trump in the Oval Office to sign an executive order to reduce the number of federal employees, according to Reuters. This order only feeds into the concern among many Republicans, who worry that Musk’s influence might overshadow President Trump’s leadership.
“I have heard many people saying that it is more like Elon is controlling everything Trump is doing, so that just affects my view on the whole thing,” FHS freshman Giselle Barriga Barrera said.
During the visit to the Oval Office, Musk announced that an initiative led by him is aimed at reducing federal workers and government operations. He later defended his initiative by calling federal workers an “unelected, unconstitutional branch of government” which he believes shows the need to reduce spending, according to the Wall Street journal. His appearances alongside Trump have raised concerns and speculation that future policies may favor Musk due to his business interests and deep political involvement in Trump’s campaign.
“I do think that it’s a little odd but I think that the public is obviously focused too much [on their relationship],” FHS freshman Yomna Omer said.
Their relationship has not always been this close, though. Before Trump was first elected president in November 2016, Musk gave an interview to CNBC.
“He doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States,” Musk said. “I don’t think this is the finest moment in our democracy.”
Now, in 2025, his stances on the subject has visibly changed drastically, with his donation of nearly a quarter million dollars to Trump and other Republican candidates.
“I think that some people, really want to focus on [this] [relationship between Trump and Musk] but I feel like the [relationship] is just odd,” Omer said. “I feel like they should be focusing on a story that is more important, instead of dramatizing this one.”
Many conspiracies have emerged with people on social media and news networks supporting and adding onto the speculation surrounding Trump and Musk’s odd relationship. With some news networks adding onto the conspiracies, the situation has been conflated.
“I agree [with the news outlets’ perspectives] in some sense, [and] the way the social media points [the relationship] out as odd [is] definitely not normal,” Barriga said. “But [I] don’t agree with it in the way that it over-dramatizes or doesn’t say the whole truth. And [causing their relationship] to branch off into its own little conspiracy theories and stuff.”
Ultimately, Trump and Musk’s relationship has caught the eye of the public, leading to many questions and concerns about what this could mean for the people of the United States. Many agree that their relationship is unique, causing some to worry about how this relationship could affect Trump’s policies and the bills he may pass. However, some feel like there are more pressing topics to be discussed. With strong opposing opinions on this topic, it has repeatedly made headlines since Trump’s inauguration.
