Just months ago, Elon Musk was a star attraction in Republican circles — flying aboard Air Force One, appearing at Cabinet meetings, and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Donald Trump at the White House. But as a Politico investigation published Monday noted, the billionaire tech mogul has all but vanished from the GOP’s political playbook.

In a detailed report by Politico journalists Jessica Piper and Holly Otterbein, the publication outlines Musk’s rapid fall from favor among top Republican operatives and strategists. Once featured prominently in Trump campaign emails and social media blasts, Musk’s name has now disappeared from MAGA talking points — and not by accident.

“He’s finished, done, gone,” one anonymous Republican operative told Politico. “He polls terrible. People hate him.”

Despite having poured an estimated $290 million into Republican causes during the 2024 election cycle, Musk is now seen as politically radioactive — a liability rather than an asset. According to Politico’s analysis, Trump, who once mentioned Musk several times a week online, hasn’t referred to him in over a month.

That silence is intentional. The article describes a coordinated, behind-the-scenes retreat from Musk by GOP leaders concerned about his sinking popularity across the political spectrum. The tech titan’s brash style, controversial public statements, and tenure as the head of the Trump-era Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — once a source of conservative praise — are now seen as distractions amid a crucial election cycle.

Even the Trump campaign’s fundraising emails, which previously leaned heavily on Musk’s name to energize donors, have phased him out. Once routine in February, mentions of Musk were nowhere to be found by May.

While Republicans distance themselves, Democrats are still making use of Musk — as a punching bag. In swing districts and digital ads, Musk remains a symbol of what Democrats describe as the radical excesses of MAGA politics. He is regularly featured in attack ads alongside Trump, used to galvanize left-leaning voters and moderates.

“Ultimately, the issue here was never about Elon Musk — it was about Elon Musk-ism,” Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson told Politico, referencing what he described as Musk’s anti-government, anti-regulation worldview that many voters associate with the GOP’s right flank.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)