Senior aides to Donald Trump are frustrated with Elon Musk’s critical remarks about a $500 billion AI project Trump is launching, feeling Musk’s comments undermine their efforts and reflect his indifference. Despite the backlash, Trump remains unconcerned, noting the contentious history between Musk and key project figure Sam Altman, which complicates their collaboration.
Senior aides to former President Donald Trump are reportedly upset with Elon Musk following his critical remarks about a new $500 billion artificial intelligence project that Trump is launching in collaboration with major companies like OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle. Musk expressed skepticism on his social media platform, X, questioning whether there was sufficient funding for the ambitious initiative. This criticism has angered Trump’s aides, who feel that Musk is overstepping his bounds as an advisor.
One Trump ally conveyed frustration to Politico, stating that Musk seems indifferent to the consequences of his comments, suggesting that he has “zero Fs to give.” This sentiment reflects a broader concern among Trump’s team that they are unable to manage Musk’s unpredictable behavior and public statements, which often diverge from the administration’s messaging.
Despite the backlash from his aides, Trump himself downplayed the situation, indicating that he is not particularly worried about Musk’s criticisms. He pointed out that one of the key figures involved in the AI project, Sam Altman, has a contentious history with Musk, stemming from their time co-founding OpenAI. Musk has previously taken legal action against OpenAI, which has further complicated their relationship.
Calls have emerged from within Trump’s supporter base for the former president to reconsider his association with Musk or at least to rein in his influence. Steve Bannon, a prominent Trump ally, criticized Musk for allowing personal grievances to overshadow the administration’s policies, suggesting that Musk’s vendettas could be detrimental to the project’s success.
Ultimately, while Trump appears to be unfazed by Musk’s comments, the ongoing rivalry between Musk and Altman raises questions about the future collaboration on the AI initiative. The dynamics between these influential figures could significantly impact the rollout of the $500 billion project, and it remains to be seen if they can reconcile their differences for the sake of the initiative.