Elon Musk, Trump Threesome with Kleptocracy
Corrupt Legislation, painting by Elihu Vedder (1896)
It’s no secret that American politicians have used their positions for self-gain. Members of Congress who are conveniently involved in the public financial framework have the advantage of knowing government funding for potential undertakings, regulations, and the calculations of tax rates, while also holding on to the power of their votes; yet, nothing is stopping them from being able to abuse the stock market and trading systems. This lies solely on the fact that Members of Congress aren’t government employees, but elected officials. Politicians have never shied away from the knowledge to ensure that they are just enough to not “officially” commit insider trading. But just because there are loopholes in a fucked up system doesn’t mean it’s exactly like how it looks. Whether or not American politics are willing to admit to it, it thrives on kleptocracy.
Trump’s incoming Armageddon committee has certainly moved on its special interests. Trump’s arousal for DEI has caused the firings of many federal employees and will ultimately be replaced by those willing to dismantle the systems that were in place for the people it served. It’s to be expected that this will continue to take form until leadership consists of only those willing to rob the most vulnerable people in America of the resources they need. Along with DEI, Trump also has an infatuation with billionaires. In particular, he’s horny for those who have strong pessimistic views on those disenfranchised and how they single-handedly are causing such a “strain” on America. Elon Musk steps in—this odd friendship has granted him considerable power while offering Trump the perfect scapegoat. Trump granted Musk and his DOGE team, an inner-administration task force, access to both an advisory position and the Treasury Payment System—normally restricted to a few Treasury employees—under the vague directive of cutting federal spending.
This gives Musk access to sensitive personal data on millions of Americans and records of $6 trillion in payments, including Social Security, Medicare, tax refunds, and federal salaries. This move has led David Lebryk, a senior official overseeing the treasury’s payment system, to resign. The same is true for Michelle King, a top official for the Social Security Administration, and her resignation as Musk and DOGE sought to seek sensitive information. Just as Trump is looking to obfuscate and fuel the same ignorant misinformation to his supporters to justify “bold” decisions as he did with DEI, no doubt he’s looking to do the same with the Treasury Department. And in some ways, he already has.
On January 27th, the White House ordered a halt on all federal payments without any explanation. The order was rescinded again without any reasoning. And within a few days, Musk reported on Twitter that:
“The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”
It’s important to identify that Musk’s claims haven’t been supported with any evidence that the Treasury instructed employees to approve payments to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. But, like Trump, the argument is hardly ever about facts and more so about baseless claims solely for his base to get their panties in a bunch.
There is no coincidence about the order of things. And if it is, there is no argument Trump and Musk are making to say otherwise. The playbook is simple: How can we convince Americans that:
1. The problem with our budgets and financial systems is solely caused by those ‘loving off the system.
2. The solution to resolving this astronomical burden on America is to call the Treasury’s system fraudulent.
3. Depict those disenfranchised as corrupt in the process and defund the resources they rely on as justification.
It is no secret that House Republicans are looking to add 4 trillion dollars to the debt ceiling by distributing 4.5 trillion dollars in tax cuts to the wealthy. And the “savior” of this crucifixion? Medicaid. If adding more money to the free market by means of taking away from vulnerable low-socioeconomic individuals isn’t Kleptocracy, then the definition is invalid.
Trump using his influence as President to push the parameters of federal institutions his buddy, Elon Musk, can come in a fuck shit up is one side of Kleptocracy. However, controlling the narrative on social platforms, like Twitter, which Musk also conveniently owns to further spin Trump’s narrative as actively using power to steal resources is the other side of Kleptocracy. Whether you’re Democrat or Republican, you can’t deny what’s happening. And regardless of partisanship, if the presidency can dictate how our non-political institutions function, it won’t stop there. Kleptocracy, unchecked and unchallenged will passively follow with an authoritarian structure. And for Trump and his friends, such a structure is more advantageous than it seems dangerous.
