Donald Trump bought a Tesla, but his secret message to Elon Musk will break your heart

Washington D.C.: Over the last 10 days Elon Musk's role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and in the greater Donald Trump administration has come under increased scrutiny.

Reports of spats with cabinet secretaries (most notably Secretary of State Marco Rubio) and increasing public fatigue with the perceived haphazard manner in which DOGE is making cuts to the government seemed to signal the sun setting on Musk's time assisting the government. Trump was forced to play the unbiased parent in the alleged Musk-Rubio tiff and later claimed he preferred DOGE use a "scalpel rather than a hatchet" in what was widely seen as a rebuke of Musk.

But on Tuesday, March 12, Trump seemed to welcome Musk back deep into the fold with a stunning display of paternal affection. The liberal media may call it a cringey stunt, conservative media may hail it as a win for DOGE, but to this writer, it was akin to a father telling a beleaguered son it was "all going to be OK". 

As the President walked by a line-up of Teslas parked outside the White House on Tuesday, it seemed like a typical Trumpian game of smoke and mirrors aimed to deflect attention from the spiraling stock market and the fact that the tariff battle against Canada is leaving the US with a bloody nose.

Trump wanted to buy a Tesla (whether he actually does is anyone's guess) and the main reason for that was to show solidarity with Musk. Over the last week Musk's unpopularity with the left has been cemented and there have been growing mutterings of discontent amongst centrist Republicans and independents with the eccentric billionaire. Tesla stock has tanked by nearly 50% and there have been attacks on Tesla dealerships and charging stations across the US by the far left.

There was something genuine about the way Trump took it on himself to encase Musk in a protective shroud. The Tesla purchase was no doubt meant to show the world that the president not just stood by Musk, but also endorsed the company. These were blessings from on high indeed. But looking behind Trump's actions there was a real sense that the president was genuinely troubled by what was happening with Musk, who has lost around $140 billion of his fortune since he took over DOGE. 

Trump 'the father' looked on Musk 'the son' as he said he "saw a patriot risking everything to help the government". It is this sort of sacrifice that gets Trump misty-eyed. But it also looks like Trump has finally realized that the Musk-led DOGE experiment could be nearing the end. The president emphasized that Musk's foray into government could be coming to a close, acknowledging that Musk's attentions may need to return to his own embattled companies.

The fact that Trump is making the effort to ensure Musk has the smoothest path back to civilian life is telling. It is also evident that in Musk, Trump sees an ally and, dare I say it, a friend whose loyalty extends far beyond 2028. This is a side of Trump rarely seen, and it is easy to forget that while MAGA may have gotten the president elected, it is with someone like Elon Musk that Trump feels a real affinity.

Trump's legacy may still be undefined, but his affection for Elon Musk may end up being the most rewarding part of his time as president, with the effects rippling long after the president has left the White House. As for Musk, he may finally have found a home.