Opinion | Musk? Trump? Who Simply Is Running the Federal Government?

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Elon Musk’s aides reportedly received access to the department’s payments system, which stores more than$ 5 trillion in sensitive Social Security and Medicare benefits and grants, on Friday, according to a report from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Additionally, the program contains information on government contractors working for Mr. Musk’s personal companies.

It was the most recent disturbing analysis of the administration’s interventions, which included President Trump’s fire, , and civil servants to leave.

The details of Mr. Musk’s part and mission in that transformation are still hazy, and the whole picture of the government overhaul has not yet been fully captured. ( On Monday, President Trump tried to offer some clarity, that” Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval”. )

However, these tales ‘ cumulative effects provide at best a complicated response to a problem that ought to be straightforward: Who exactly is in charge of the federal government?

It’s disturbing enough to be unable to directly address “democratically elected frontrunners” in the media. Perhaps more troubling is the possibility that the real solution is Mr. Musk — the world’s richest guy— and other inexplicable, appointed, unsubstantiated allies cozy with the president.

Social economists have a brand for that: state capture. When powerful personal interests have a large influence on a government, they can easily direct policy decisions and money to their own advantage or to the benefit of their intellectual co-travelers ( or both ).

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