Elon Musk is a techno-optimist; Donald Trump is a reactionary who wants to bring back the economy of the past at the expense of the future. Musk is basically a self-made billionaire with plenty of real accomplishments; Trump inherited his money, squandered lots of it, and maintained a fortune only by becoming a celebrity. But Trump apparently met with Musk yesterday and asked for a large campaign contribution, which he might well get. What is it that brings these very different men together?
Two things: a belief that they are great men who should be above the law and popular opinion; and a contempt for bureaucrats and the status quo. My guess is that Musk cynically believes that power will devolve to him and his fellow tech bros once Trump has finished putting a jackhammer to the America we know and love. If so, he’s probably wrong.