Donald Trump may have been the face of the 2016 presidential campaign, but lurking behind the “Make America Great Again” spectacle was the real mastermind—Steve Bannon.
The bloated, hard-drinking media executive-turned-strategist was hyped as the intellectual architect of Trump’s chaotic rise. For a brief, messy moment, Bannon pulled the strings, whispered the gameplan into Trump’s ear, and presented himself as the brains behind the operation.
But the bromance didn’t last.
Bannon committed the cardinal sin of Trump World: he tried to outshine the boss. He started boasting to the press about his role in Trump’s victory and allegedly compared him to “an 11-year-old boy” behind closed doors.
By 2017, Trump had had enough. In classic Trump style, he nuked the relationship, ousting Bannon from the inner circle and publicly eviscerating him as “Sloppy Steve” who “lost his mind.”
The message was clear: there’s only room for one alpha in Trump World. When egos this big collide, coexistence isn’t just unlikely—it’s impossible.
If Bannon’s fall taught us anything, it’s that Trump has no tolerance for competitors. And yet, here comes Musk—a bigger, flashier alpha—maneuvering into Trump’s orbit with an audacity that feels eerily familiar.
But unlike Bannon, Musk isn’t positioning himself as a mere strategist—he’s aiming to rewrite the playbook entirely.
Musk isn’t just another yes-man; he’s a billionaire visionary with a god complex who’s built empires on audacity. With tech bros, Dogecoin fanatics, and space nerds in his corner—and literally controlling platforms like X—he’s uniquely positioned to challenge Trump’s grip on the narrative.
And it’s not going to end well.
Musk made his first big move into the political arena in July by endorsing Trump for president.
This wasn’t just another tweet—it was the moment Musk planted his flag in the world of partisan politics, aligning himself with Trump’s agenda and signaling that his ambitions extended far beyond tech.
By late summer, Musk had cemented himself as an indispensable figure in Trump’s campaign. Launching America PAC, pouring millions into swing-state efforts, and mobilizing his vast online following, Musk wasn’t just supporting Trump—he was showcasing his power as a kingmaker. His influence extended to shaping narratives and participating in sensitive policy discussions, like calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Musk hasn’t faded into the background after Trump’s victory. He’s always by Trump’s side where typically the First Lady would be, which has resulted in some fantastic AI-generated photos of Elon as Melania (Elonia, of course).
But what’s the endgame here?
Musk has the tools to pull the ultimate power play. He’s not just a businessman; he’s a cultural icon, a self-styled innovator who’s built a fanbase that treats him like a modern-day Tony Stark.
And his greatest advantage is his ability to play the long game.
Unlike Trump, who thrives on immediate gratification and loyalty, Musk operates with a strategic mindset, leveraging his tech empire and cultural cachet to control narratives in ways Trump can’t. By subtly aligning his initiatives with the president’s agenda, Musk could embed himself so deeply in the administration’s success that removing him becomes unthinkable.
Trump’s strength isn’t his wealth or power—it’s his unrivaled ability to frame himself as the ultimate victim or hero, and he’d waste no time painting Musk as a backstabber if the billionaire tried to outshine him.
If Musk oversteps, Trump could flip the script, using his platform to drag Musk through the mud with that classic Trumpian flair. And we might see it sooner rather than later.
“I can’t get rid of him,” Trump recently joked of Musk’s constant presence at Mar-a-Lago in recent days. “…at least until I don’t like him.”
The subtext is clear: Musk’s days as Trump’s golden boy are numbered. In Trump World, loyalty flows in one direction, and anyone threatening the boss’s spotlight ends up in the crosshairs.
But Musk isn’t just another fallen ally—he’s a different kind of alpha. If anyone has the audacity and resources to rewrite the rules in Trump’s orbit, it’s him. The question is, can he outmaneuver Trump before the inevitable crash?
Because when egos this big collide, there’s only room for one winner. And Trump has a habit of making sure it’s him.