At the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, Elon Musk received a standing ovation before and after his lackluster remarks, an apparent signal of his growing alignment with Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.
Trump, meanwhile, makes a surprise appearance at the conference, taking the stage to an adoring crowd — and an undeniably diminished enthusiasm compared with Musk’s.
Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser who is now a MAGA media star in his own right, blames Silicon Valley elites for the country’s problems and takes aim at Musk as an example of elites buying influence with money rather than ideas.
But are Trump’s supporters bothered that the man they see as their rightful leader is embracing a new billionaire ally, especially one with such different views?
Almost universally, they say no, arguing that Musk works for Trump, and Trump works for the people.
Despite his criticism of Musk, Bannon eagerly courts the tech billionaire’s admirers, even going so far as to praise Musk’s work at Dogecoin.
Protesters converge on the party for those who love Musk’s cryptocurrency, screaming at attendees that they are Nazis.