MAGA loyalty test
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Six days after bagging an honorary key to the Oval Office, Elon Musk forced every Republican into a loyalty test between himself and President Trump.
- In rapid succession, they're choosing Trump.
Why it matters: Today's nasty MAGA divorce featured Musk going there on every front, from citing Jeffrey Epstein to calling for impeachment and saying he'd decommission the rocket that keeps the International Space Station supplied in orbit.
- But on the budget bill fight that sparked the breakup, the Republicans who were willing to listen to Musk's ideas yesterday have mostly gone quiet.
🎤 "Nobody elected Elon Musk, and a whole lot of people don't even like him, to be honest with you, even on both sides," Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told us.
- Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) said Musk is "starting to look a little crazy."
- "Every tweet that goes out, people are more lockstep behind President Trump and [Musk is] losing favor," said Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.).
- A spokesperson for Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
🤑 Between the lines: Republicans have long respected and feared Musk's $420 billion net worth and ability to pour millions into any given GOP primary.
- He has even signaled he supports primary challenges against House Republicans who voted for the bill.
- But now that it's Trump vs. Musk, Republican lawmakers privately say they're far more afraid of a Trump non-endorsement than Musk's money.
🔥 The other side: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a steadfast opponent of the bill who Trump has called to primary, said that while he doesn't support impeaching Trump, he still respects Musk.
- "This is the language Trump speaks in. [Musk] is speaking it back to him," Massie said.
- Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said Musk has "the right to say whatever he wants," calling him a "genius" and saying "words, to me, don't matter. It's what he does."
The bottom line: Other critics of Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill" told us Musk is undermining the case by turning to personal attacks.
- "I think it undermines his effectiveness," said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.). "I would not have recommended that."
- Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) said: "It was disappointing to see Elon Musk's outrage, if you will, come when it did. We could've used his voice a couple weeks ago."
— Andrew Solender
