Until just a few weeks ago, he was everywhere in White House briefings, aboard presidential flights, front and center during official speeches, even bringing his son into the Oval Office for a photo op. Today, Elon Musk has virtually disappeared from the spotlight in Washington.
The silence began on March 31. Since then, the president hasn’t uttered a single word about him either in public appearances or on social media. A striking change, considering Musk had previously been mentioned up to four times a week on Truth Social, Donald Trump’s favored platform.
Behind this sudden fall from grace is a toxic mix of political setbacks, plummeting approval ratings, and a bruised image. It began with a crushing defeat in Wisconsin, where the candidate that Musk had heavily funded lost by a wide margin, despite a record-setting $21 million investment. According to a Republican insider quoted by Politico, Musk believed he could “buy votes by acting like a nine-year-old,” referencing his headline-grabbing antics like million-dollar giveaways and wearing a cheesehead hat– moves that, in the end, only alienated voters.
The situation deteriorated further when a poll from Marquette University showed that 58% of respondents disapproved of Musk’s handling of the DOGE task force (Department of Government Efficiency). Even more damaging, 60% said they viewed him unfavorably on a personal level.
Tesla’s financial troubles added another blow: the company’s profits plunged by 71% in Q1 2025, prompting Musk to scale back his government role to just “one or two days a week.” His much-touted promise to recover $2 trillion through DOGE reforms has also lost momentum. The task force now claims the insignificant sum of $170 billion in savings–a figure that, according to legal analysis outlet Lawfare, may be undermined by cuts to critical government functions, such as audits of wealthy tax evaders.
Still, the tech mogul has not been entirely cast aside. He attended the cabinet meeting marking Trump’s first 100 days in office and joined the president on an official visit to the Middle East, where the GOP leader reportedly thanked him for his service and sacrifices.
But the honeymoon appears to be over. There have been no mentions of Musk in Trump’s speeches, posts, or strategic plans, and even his closest allies have stopped celebrating his achievements, though many still quietly hope for his financial backing in future campaigns.
