Michael Steele on Trump and Musk: ‘Republicans Having Two Daddies Is Kind of Woke’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
Steele: “I think, Julie, the interesting thing for me is the dynamic that has emerged of this — and Democrats and not just Democrats, even some Republicans, you know, I know have started this co-presidency sort of narrative between Trump and Musk, particularly given the fact that Trump was largely silent in all of this week’s events. It was Musk know who drove this narrative. So you have this environment in which these two men are sort of controlling and working together seemingly. How is that playing out from your reporting on the hill, and some folks have noted on Twitter Republicans having two daddies is kind of woke. So you have this sense out here that this dynamic in the Republican Party is one that’s going to be around for a while. How does that play out on getting things done on the hill?”

TSIRKIN: “There’s definitely bipartisan consternation I would say. I think more than anything even taking apart the co-presidency line, I’m sure not all Republicans feel that way at this point. However, they do feel like Elon Musk helming x, getting all this pressure going, riling up essentially the base that is then putting pressure on members — remember back in the Senate leadership race, when Elon Musk had everyone riled up for Rick Scott who ended up losing, people had protesters at their offices. When you have this happen around a government funding bill demanding to shut down the government instead of passing the original bipartisan bill, blaming Speaker Johnson on x for it, certainly that is extremely stressful and a new dynamic for machines, one they — members, one they didn’t have to contend with when Trump office Twitter because Elon Musk has a completely different following. Then you add in all the billions he has and his ability to challenge primary members and that threat. Of course that it extremely concerning for members up here. They don’t want a billionaire on the outside telling them what to do. They don’t want an unelected official telling them what to do. I think the better chance for Musk to go away is when president-elect Donald Trump, if and when, gets tired of him. Remember we had reporting after the election that maybe Trump was starting to get a little bit tired of how much musks hanging around him. Certainly at this point Musk needs Trump more than Trump needs Musk after he won the election with his help. And that is definitely a dynamic we are watching. I will point out that Musk and Trump had different issues this bill, adding to the complications. Musk didn’t want the debt limit to be blown through.”