Concerns are growing over Elon Musk’s alignment with President-elect Donald Trump, as the billionaire entrepreneur uses his massive platform to criticize opponents and industry competitors. Experts warn that Musk may use his influence to intimidate adversaries, echoing Trump’s rhetoric on revenge.
Musk recently targeted retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a critic of Trump who testified in his impeachment trial, calling him a “traitor” and vowing to make him pay. Vindman responded by saying Musk was trying to silence critics and that he would become a target for Musk’s followers.
The impact of retaliatory rhetoric by Trump and his allies has already been seen with some critics receiving death threats. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, who backed Trump’s impeachment, received threats after she broke with House Republicans.
Musk’s new government advisory role with Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency panel has raised concerns that he could use his influence to unfairly suppress competition in the tech and space industries. His spat with ChatGPT maker OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over AI development has also led to speculation about potential retaliation.
However, Altman pushed back against suggestions that Musk would use his allyship with Trump to harm competitors, saying it would be “profoundly un-American” and that he believed Elon would do the right thing. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago has also raised eyebrows, as some see it as an attempt to court the president-elect.
The alignment of Musk and Trump has sparked concerns about the potential for retaliation and intimidation in various industries. As leading tech agencies prepare to submit recommendations to reduce government spending and regulations under Musk’s new advisory role, experts warn that his influence could have far-reaching consequences.
Source: https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5022711-concerns-mount-over-musks-taste-for-revenge