‘On a power trip’ or ‘obviously brilliant’? Voters weigh the influence of Musk

Sitting around a breakfast table in Erie, Pennsylvania, four veterans of about 80 years: John, Jack, Bob and Don, meet to remember their decades of friendship.

But it is another gift, this 70s, who remains in his conversation: President Donald Trump.

Of the four, only Bob voted for Trump. But after seeing Elon Musk standing next to the Republican President in the Oval office this week, defending his efforts to reduce the size and expenditure of the federal government, he is already doubting his decision.

“I’m afraid of him,” says Bob about Musk. “I think he is trying to be president.”

Erie County was one of the key battlefields that helped balance the 2024 presidential elections in favor of Trump. The Republican won 50.1% of the vote here only four years after his Democratic rival Joe Biden took the county little.

And part of Trump’s winning platform was a clear promise to review and fly to the federal government, promising the campaign to deliver “Billones” in cuts if chosen. The surveys indicated that it was popular among Republican voters, and that remains the case now.

What was less clear for voters before the elections was how much of a first -line role would play Musk in this administration. The 53 -year -old owner of Tesla, Spacex and X now leads the Government Efficiency Department (Doge), which is dedicated to reducing the government and is routinely shown together with the president.

The members of their team have entered several departments to monitor the expense and offered millions of workers an exit route. They have moved to freeze federal funds, as well as the work of agencies such as the United States International Development Agency (USAID) in an activity storm in recent weeks.

But given the scale of Musk’s influence on Trump’s nascent administration, Democrats are concerned about conflicts of interest and Musk, whose companies have billions in federal government contracts, which can take measures to benefit themselves .

“This is dangerous. This is against the interests of the United States,” said Senior Democrat Chuck Schumer. “And President Trump needs to show some leadership and reign in Doge before he inflicted more damage.”

That concern was shared by John Pelinsky, a lifelong Democrat who in the November elections showed his vote for Donald Trump. He said the Democrats had turned too much to the left and wanted four years from Trump to help “focus the country.”

While he does not regret his vote, he says that Musk makes him feel restless.

“He had his little son there with him in the Oval office,” he said. “I don’t feel very comfortable with that.”

“I think Musk’s influence could be too much on the president,” he added. “I am seeing too much of him. I should keep his Spacex and his electric cars.”

Meanwhile, Musk has been clear that he thinks he is working to promulgate the wishes of Trump’s voters.

“People voted for an important government reform and that is what people are going to get,” journalists told journalists during a surprise of the White House this week. “That’s what democracy is about.”

A recent survey of the American BBC CBS News partner He suggested that most of the Americans were in favor of Musk’s work, but they did not agree on how much influence should have.

In Erie, many followers were delighted to see not a billionaire business man, but two, directing the show in Washington.

Christine Barber shrugged and said that the American people had chosen Trump to direct the country and that he had designated Musk to help him do that.

“Personally, I love him,” he said about Musk.

“Financially, and from a commercial perspective, we need someone who knows what the hell they are doing. And if someone does, they are Donald Trump and Elon Musk.”

Patrick Laughlan had a similar opinion. He said he trusted Trump and Musk “to the extent that you can trust anyone you don’t know.”

“The boy is obviously bright,” Laughlan said about Musk. “He is doing a good job trying to get rid of waste. Both gentlemen are trying to recover money from Americans.”

Evan Lagace, a restaurant manager here, embraces Musk cuts to a system that sees as swollen and inefficient. He said he appreciated that the billionaire of technology was “donating his time to the country to help solve an important problem.”

“As he did in a micro appearance with Twitter, hopefully could do the same with our country,” said Lagace, referring to mass layoffs and expense cuts implemented after buying the social networks company.

As for the accusations that Musk had become too powerful in this White House, Lagace said he did not bother him.

“It’s already extremely powerful,” he said. “It makes no difference.”