He’s still the world’s richest person, he still has a relationship with the world’s most powerful man, and he can still do a lot more damage.

Not too long ago, Musk was working to position himself as the kingmaker of the Republican Party. Members of Congress were terrified of his money and influence — and the possibility of a primary challenge. For now, that fear may be over, or at least diminished, but don’t underestimate the damage that Musk has done and will continue to do behind the scenes.

While Musk’s efforts to eliminate waste and fraud in the federal government have been nothing short of a disaster, he has still managed to bank some big wins during the first few months of the Trump administration — at least for himself.

As NBC News reports, Musk’s “regulatory problems have started to fade into the past.” At the Agriculture Department, Trump fired the person who had been investigating Musk’s company Neuralink. At the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, DOGE cuts have potentially hobbled regulators’ ability to enforce the law against Tesla and X. Trump’s Justice Department has also dropped a case against Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX.

Musk also appears to have succeeded in using his clout and government access to get his companies more business. His ventures are set to rake in billions in new government contracts.

So, while Musk says he is taking a step back from political spending, that does not mean we’ve seen the last of his influence in government. It’s too late for that. He’s still the world’s richest man, he still has a relationship with the world’s most powerful man, and he can still do a lot more damage.

Charlie Sykes: Musk’s influence won’t fade just because he says he’s pulling back on political spending

He’s still the world’s richest person, he still has a relationship with the world’s most powerful man, and he can still do a lot more damage.

https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/elon-musk-political-spending-trump-influence-rcna208261