Where is Elon Musk?

President Donald Trump and Republicans no longer mention Elon Musk on social media amid a decline in support for the Tesla boss.

Billionaire Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump at the White House after Mr. Trump took office. Photo: Reuters .

In the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term, his name is closely associated with one figure: Billionaire Elon Musk.

America’s richest and most powerful people often appear together – in the press and at events. But things have changed.

Trump, who used to mention Musk every few days on Truth Social, has not mentioned the billionaire in more than a month. Trump’s fundraising campaign no longer includes Musk in emails. Musk is no longer the subject of White House press conferences.

“I miss him,” US Senator John Kennedy told Politico.

Trump’s change

Republican social media accounts are where Musk’s disappearance has been most apparent. In February and March, President Trump mentioned Musk about four times a week. Since early April, Musk has completely disappeared from Trump’s Truth Social account.

How often Trump’s Truth Social account mentions Elon Musk by week. Graphic: Politico.

How often Trump’s Truth Social account mentions Elon Musk by week. Graphic: Politico.

Not only Mr. Trump, but also close advisers to the president and official White House accounts no longer post images and content related to Musk.

Trump has also stopped using Musk to raise money. In February, his campaign included Musk’s name in emails to supporters almost every day. That practice abruptly stopped in early March. Only one email in May mentioned the Tesla boss.

Republicans continue to speak positively about Musk — seemingly in an effort to leverage the billionaire’s wealth and influence in upcoming elections. But some argue that the best way Musk can help Republicans in the 2026 midterms is to stay out of the picture.

“The polls show Elon doing well when he gets in. Hopefully he stays long enough to do that but not try to influence the election,” said David McIntosh, executive director of the conservative Club for Growth.

How often White House X accounts mention Elon Musk by day. Graphic: Politico.

How often White House X accounts mention Elon Musk by day. Graphic: Politico.

Some Republicans even see Musk as an issue that Democrats can exploit. Musk’s approval ratings are trending downward, and he’s significantly lower than Trump’s. One poll found that DOGE’s activities are less favorable when Musk’s name is attached.

“The public supports his efforts to end Washington spending, but not his approach,” said Republican pollster Frank Luntz. “His mission to cut Washington spending is helpful, but his language is not.”

Democrats take advantage

For their part, Democrats have in recent months used Mr. Musk as a Republican “weakness” they can exploit.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court election in April was a referendum on Musk, who spent a lot of money and energy backing a conservative candidate who lost by a wide margin.

“He’s done. His approval ratings are terrible. People hate him,” said one Republican expert. “He came into Wisconsin thinking he could buy votes … This is not going anywhere.”

Aside from politics, part of the reason Musk “disappeared” was the Trump administration’s shifting priorities. While DOGE was the biggest topic in the early months, attention has now shifted to tariffs and immigration.

Musk’s reduced visibility doesn’t mean he’s lost influence or importance to Trump. Last week, Musk was part of a delegation of tech leaders who accompanied Trump to Saudi Arabia, where he delivered a speech.

Elon Musk is among the American businessmen who followed Mr. Trump to Saudi Arabia. Photo: New York Times.

DOGE will continue to operate under Musk’s handpicked leadership, with both Republicans and Democrats predicting that he will continue to be a major player in American politics.

In late April, Musk announced that he would still support Mr. Trump but would reduce his time spent on DOGE, a move that is believed to help Musk spend more time on his companies.

When asked about Mr. Trump’s reduced mention of Musk, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not respond directly, but stated that the Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort “will certainly continue.”