Musk relegated to secondary post in Trump's White House
Elon Musk, often referred to as President Donald Trump's "first buddy," was snubbed by the new president's chief of staff. Unfortunately, Musk did not receive an office in the White House.
Susie Wiles, Trump’s campaign chief of staff, has now become the White House Chief of Staff. She faces a challenging task ahead: managing the egos of many figures around Trump, introducing order to the White House's operations, controlling access to the president, managing senior staff, and collaborating with Congress to implement his legislative agenda.
- There has never been an administration where power struggles erupted so early - said political analyst Frank Luntz in a conversation with "The Times". - But Wiles has the right heart and skills for it; if anyone is going to succeed, it's her - he added.
Elon Musk sidelined from Trump
Wiles quickly made her position clear, stating that "anyone who cannot cooperate and focus on our common goals will not be working in the White House". She warned that she does not tolerate "people who want to act solo or be a star".
This implied she had to tackle the challenge of silencing discussions about Elon Musk as the "co-president" or "real vice president", given his tendency to attract attention and promote his own agenda.
Musk, as the head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), sought his own office near the Oval Office. However, this did not come to pass. He and his team were allocated a space in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is situated on the White House grounds but is separated by a road from the main complex.
This was confirmed by President Trump himself during an executive order signing session. When asked by a reporter if Musk would receive a White House office, the president replied: "No". - He received an office for about 20 people we are employing to ensure those savings are implemented - added Trump.
The chief of staff - as reported by "The Times" - listened to these words without reaction. They marked a significant victory for her.
That’s not all. In the executive order establishing DOGE, there was a provision stating that Musk, as the head of the office, must submit reports on his activities to the White House chief of staff.
This time, the "ice lady", as President Trump calls Wiles, won.
Source: thetimes.com
