The Kayfabe of Kings: Trump, Musk, and the Big Beautiful Bill
There’s something surreal about watching two billionaires engage in public beef, especially when the stakes are nothing short of cultural redemption and political dominance. But let’s be clear: if Elon Musk publicly turns on Donald Trump—with Trump’s consent—it’s not chaos. It’s choreography.
It’s kayfabe—a wrestling term for a fake feud that everyone agrees to pretend is real. And in the grand spectacle of American power, it works like a charm.
And now, it’s actually happening.
Trump’s Angle: “I Told You So” Insurance
Donald Trump has finally unveiled his flagship legislative push, the Big Beautiful Bill—a swaggering mashup of tax cuts, tariffs, deregulation, and a nostalgic nod to economic nationalism. It's designed to look populist, sound strong, and bulldoze any lingering scent of bureaucracy.
When Musk called it a “disgusting abomination” that would gut EV incentives and strangle innovation, Trump lashed out. He threatened to revoke Tesla and SpaceX’s federal contracts and accused Musk of “losing his mind.”
But here's the real kicker: Trump wins no matter what.
If BBB passes and helps the economy? He gets to say, “Even Elon doubted me. And I still delivered.”
If it tanks? He’ll say Musk sabotaged it. “Big Tech turned on America again.”
Either way, Trump commands the narrative. To his base, he’s still the guy fighting everyone—Big Tech, Big Media, and now Big Ego.
Musk’s Exit Strategy: Redemption by Rebellion
Elon Musk, meanwhile, desperately needs an exit ramp off the political freeway.
Tesla’s stock tumbled nearly 14% in the wake of the feud. Investors are anxious. Consumers are cringing. Twitter/X has become an erratic firehose of hot takes.
So what’s the play?
Musk pivots. Softens. Deletes inflammatory tweets. Posts mysterious zen-like phrases—“You are not wrong…”—and even floats a new centrist party: The America Party.
By “standing up” to Trump, Musk regains something he's been hemorrhaging: cultural capital.
Suddenly, it’s okay to own a Tesla again in Brooklyn. His image becomes “the innovator who finally said enough.”
It’s the tech billionaire version of a breakup album: vulnerable, bold, and conveniently timed.
That’s brand jiu-jitsu. Roll with the political punch. Flip the narrative. Profit.
The Mutual Grift
Let’s not kid ourselves—this isn’t a real feud. It’s mutual brand laundering through orchestrated conflict.
Trump gets a foil. Musk gets a rebrand.
The GOP calls for unity. The media churns out headlines.
And the public? They get spectacle. Bread and circuses in 4K.
When the cameras stop rolling, the contracts are still negotiated behind closed doors. The subsidies still flow. The agendas still align.
This isn’t politics.
It’s kayfabe.
They’re not enemies.
They’re co-stars.
