Elon Musk, who not long ago was lauded as the world’s preeminent business mogul and technological innovator, has fallen from grace in dramatic fashion over the past few months. This change was underscored by a new survey from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The non-partisan poll reports that just one in three U.S. adults have a positive opinion of Musk. This is an extraordinary drop from his previous status as the world’s wealthiest individual. Curiously, as his power in Washington has increased, so too has public perception of him. Along with that change, he has made a very noticeable move to the right politically.
Musk had previously been a key advocate on climate change and had frequently backed Democratic candidates. His latest moves and rhetoric reflect a political transformation to a more right-leaning ideology. In that recent poll, nearly two-thirds of respondents expressed alarm over that. They are arguing that Musk has unduly controlled the direction of federal government over the last several months. Under his leadership, bold changes have taken root within the government. In response, thousands of federal employees have been fired or resigned under duress, contracts have been terminated, and even some entire agencies shut down.
Even amid this chaos, Musk’s machinations seem to be working wonders on a small but dedicated group of acolytes. For one person that was enough to justify praising Musk’s work, “He’s cleaning up all the trash. I love what he’s doing.” This sentiment is not universally shared. Many others have criticized Musk’s management style and effectiveness in his governmental role.
Ernest Pereira, a 27-year-old lab technician from North Carolina, lamented Musk’s declining reputation: “It was a shame that he crashed and burned his reputation. He bought into his own hype.” This skepticism is part of a growing wave of skepticism from voters. Nearly 7 in 10 independents agree that Musk has too much power in determining federal policies. At the same time, roughly nine-in-ten Democrats feel that way, too.
Even Musk himself has admitted there are growing fears about his temporary omnipotence. His recent announcement that he will be withdrawing from all things government related. All the heavy lifting to create the Department of Government Efficiency is done, he said. Now, I will be limiting myself to maybe a day or two a week on government business. This change will likely be greeted with a great sigh of relief by everyone who has been blown away by the force of his recent TORs.
The growing dissatisfaction with Musk is most clearly seen by party, especially among Democrats and independents. Susan Wolf, an affected resident, said that she worried about Musk’s governance abilities. She said, “I don’t trust him. I don’t think he knows what he’s doing. He thinks that you can run a government like a business—that you have a CEO and tell people what to do. That doesn’t work.” Her comments highlight why so many people are starting to think that his CEO mentality won’t work well in public service.
To be clear, Musk’s short time in Washington has already created a lot of chaos and disruption. His tactics have yielded uneven success. He has succeeded at delivering shock therapy to the federal government, but he has failed at delivering on other goals. The public outcry has mirrored this confusion, as millions of Americans have made their voices known that they are uncomfortable with his tactics and the consequences therein.
As he prepares to step down from his administrative position in the next weeks, the net effect of his political odyssey remains to be seen. To some, his relentless push to remake how the federal government operates is admirable. In contrast, others question the effect of his actions on government efficiency and employee well-being.
