Nationalist radicals with isolationist views expressed dissatisfaction with Musk’s influence on the president-elect’s policies, as well as his connections with representatives of the technological elite. Bild reports this.
Musk, despite his rapprochement with Trump, advocates the continuation of the H-1B visa program, which makes it possible to attract qualified specialists from abroad. His company, Tesla, is an active user of this program, hiring hundreds of foreign workers every year, including specialists from India. Support for the program runs counter to the isolationist rhetoric of some Trump supporters, including former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who believes that “America First” is about developing domestic capabilities rather than recruiting foreign talent.
Complicating matters was the fact that Trump appointed two Indian-origin businessmen, Vivek Ramaswamy and Sriram Krishnan, to key positions in the new administration. Ramaswamy, who supports Musk, will head the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), and Krishnan will become an adviser on artificial intelligence. This has caused discontent among the nationalist-minded part of the electorate, which sees this as a departure from isolationist policies.
Musk responded to the criticism quite sharply: he threatened his opponents with a “fierce war” and reduced the visibility of their posts on the social network X, which he controls. The move drew accusations of censorship, but Musk remains adamant, according to journalists. Trump, in turn, supported Musk, saying that attracting skilled labor from abroad is an important part of the economic strategy.
Curiosity with an invitation to the New Year
Against this background, Trump’s message on his social network Truth Social, addressed to Musk, attracted attention. In the post, Trump invited the billionaire and his son X Æ A-Xii to a New Year’s party at Mar-a-Lago. The mention of Musk’s four-year-old son caused heated discussions on social networks and the media. Many are wondering whether this message was a mistake or a deliberate demonstration of Trump and Musk’s close relationship.