What role will Musk play in the new US administration?
Elon Musk has been chosen to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency under Donald Trump. The advisory body will help the next US administration in its fight against 'redundant' regulations and 'wasteful' spending, as well as in the restructuring of federal agencies, Trump announced on Tuesday. Europe's press finds the appointment problematic for several reasons.
Opening the floodgates to revanchism
For De Standaard, this doesn't bode well at all:
“Getting rid of unnecessary regulations can't hurt. But it's not a good idea to entrust this job to someone who has already been taken to task by the authorities. ... Musk could abuse his position to get rid of officials who have reprimanded him or to scrap of rules that could harm his business interests. Someone who repeatedly flouts regulations is unfit for such a post anyway. This is probably just a foretaste of how Trump intends to run his presidency. It could be that arbitrariness, favouritism and business interests will take precedence over the public interest.”
Silicon Valley is celebrating
Musk's companies are headed for good times, writes communications expert Miriam Meckel in a guest commentary for the Aargauer Zeitung:
“In this new appeasement strategy [aimed at appeasing the tech giants' fears about overregulation], Elon Musk is just one piece of a large puzzle - but a special one. More than anyone else, he reflects the growing entanglement of technology and political influence. He, too, can expect his companies to benefit from his proximity to Trump. SpaceX has multi-billion-dollar contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense. The US government regulates Tesla through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). If Musk becomes the new secretary of government efficiency in Trump's administration, he will also be able to quickly remove obstacles for his own companies.”
Motivated by cruelty
The Guardian warns against the new department and its designated head:
“This will be bad for social programmes supporting those on public assistance. It will be bad for the environment. It will almost certainly be bad for the arts. ... But it is Musk, a man with no experience in government, no interest in public service, and an apparent narcissism equal to Trump's that will surely see the men fall out before long, who grabbed all the headlines. Like Trump, Musk wins by doing things that trigger the endorphin rush of witnessing cruelty to others.”
Global ramifications
El Mundo believes Musk's appointment could also have international consequences:
“Musk's influence extends far beyond US borders. His companies are of strategic geopolitical importance. His decisions are unpredictable. While Starlink has been crucial in helping Ukraine with communications, X has facilitated the spread of Russian propaganda without filters. And Tesla has a huge impact on trade relations between the US and China.”
Prospect of a dictated peace for Ukraine
Trump's personnel decisions don't bode well for Kyiv, writes Der Standard:
“Musk not only gets to make cuts, he also makes phone calls to heads of state together with Trump and goes in and out of his office. The Space X boss has finally risen to become the most prominent political influencer in the US and indeed the entire world. A tycoon at the helm of the new government who has eluded the official structures and at the same time acquired far-reaching powers. Ukraine is not the only country dependent on the satellite internet service Starlink, for example. The billionaire can decide whether to block access for one customer or an entire country. In combination with the appointment of Marco Rubio as secretary of state, this could mean a dictated peace for Ukraine.”
Two alpha males
This decision is bound to lead to conflicts, Corriere della Sera scoffs:
“The question now is whether the alleged dissatisfaction within the team is due to the fact that Trump, fascinated and distracted by Musk, is less likely to listen to his closest collaborators, or whether he himself feels uncomfortable because he is unaccustomed to having such a powerful and visible figure at his side, trying to force his hand. ... It was clear from the outset that the cohabitation of two alpha males would be problematic. According to rumours from inside Mar-a-Lago, Musk has made it clear that he expects gratitude, a word that doesn't exist in The Donald's vocabulary. However, the latter remains in control of the situation, also because Elon, as an entrepreneur, cannot officially enter the Administration.”