Congress

Some Democrats want to thaw their frosty relationship with Elon Musk

Published

2 years ago

December 12, 2024

Ro Khanna is trading texts with Elon Musk. Josh Shapiro took a call from him. And John Fetterman has compared him to the superhero Tony Stark.

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to install Musk as the federal government’s cutter-in-chief, some ambitious Democrats are taking a warmer approach to the billionaire businessman than their party leaders have in the past as he has become one the most influential people on the planet.

“He’s had an undeniable impact on the Pennsylvania election, and I think the election overall,” Fetterman, the Democratic Pennsylvania senator, told Blue Light News. “I’ve warned Democrats, if you’re just going to make fun of it or to dismiss it, you do it at our peril. And I think that’s very clear what happened.”

Musk is the world’s richest man, and his companies are helping determine the future of space exploration, electric vehicles, AI and social media. Democrats who are making friendly overtures to him said that they want to shape the thinking of someone who will have an outsize microphone regardless of what they do. They are also eager to encourage him to develop his businesses in their backyards.

Some of them are also eyeing presidential runs in 2028, and may want to avoid getting on his bad side for political reasons. Musk spent $280 million this year supporting Trump and other Republicans.

The relationship between Democrats and Musk has been icy for the past few years. President Joe Biden said Musk’s ties to other countries were “worthy of being looked at” and attacked him as a one-time “illegal worker.” Musk, in turn, called Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris each a “puppet.” Liberals also laughed off Musk’s purchase of X and his efforts to turn out the vote for Trump — with vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mocking him for “skipping like a dipshit” on stage at a rally.

But increasingly, some Democrats are arguing that was the wrong approach and think Musk played an outsize role in helping elect Trump — the latest sign that the left is confronting the president-elect differently this time around. It’s an open question whether other Democrats will follow suit, and either benefit or suffer consequences.

Some Democrats remain deeply skeptical of Musk, who is one of several billionaires and tech leaders Trump has tapped to staff his administration. They see Musk as an oligarch, and are concerned about his plans to slash the federal government with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy as incoming co-leaders of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.

“I reserve the right to be surprised, but this looks to me like a coming kleptocracy, in which all these billionaires are running the government in order to rig the rules,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “So I’m pretty fucking skeptical that this is a legitimate effort.”

Rep. Ro Khanna said he has “exchanged texts” with Musk since President-elect Donald Trump tapped him to head DOGE.

Khanna, a House Democrat who represents Silicon Valley and a potential future presidential candidate, has known Musk for more than 10 years. In an interview, he called Musk an “an extraordinary entrepreneur” and said that he fits the mold of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “dollar-a-year men,” the corporate executives who were paid a symbolic salary of $1 annually to help the federal government mobilize for WWII.

Khanna said he has “exchanged texts” with Musk since Trump tapped him to head DOGE. He declined to “go into private exchanges” but said they have discussed “the places where we can collaborate.”

“We have a candid conversation. He also knows where I disagree with him,” he said. “We need to engage these technologists and builders to be part of our coalition, but without compromising our values.”

In a post on X this month, Musk said that Khanna is a “sensible moderate” after the lawmaker said on TV that he disagreed with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed electric vehicle subsidy, which would likely exclude his company Tesla. Musk did not respond to a request for comment.

Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor who is widely seen as a top 2028 presidential candidate, took a short call from Musk in October when the entrepreneur was sitting in businessman Thomas Tull’s box at a Steelers game. Tull and Musk were reportedly talking about investments in Pennsylvania when Tull decided to call Shapiro and put him on the phone with Musk.

Shapiro told NBC that their conversation “was 100% on economic development.”

“I’m always fighting hard to make sure that folks invest in Pennsylvania,” he said. “We did not discuss politics. We obviously have completely different views on politics, different choices and candidates.”

A Shapiro spokesperson declined to provide more information on the call.

Fetterman, who is also rumored to be eyeing a bid for the White House, said that he has not talked with Musk. But he said he is open to working with him to “cut waste” and argued that “it’s undeniable that he is an innovator, and our American economy is better because of him.” He cautioned Democrats to not dismiss him.

“He’s had an undeniable impact on the Pennsylvania election, and I think the election overall,” Sen. John Fetterman said about Musk.

“If our government is issuing checks for billions for his companies to rescue our astronauts, or he’s involved in things like AI and really important things, it’s like he is going to be part of this conversation,” said Fetterman. “And that’s a fact. And you want it to be as productive as possible.”

Even some progressive lawmakers have signaled that they are open to working with Musk, encouraging him to look at the Pentagon for cuts. But their efforts are likely different from some of their moderate colleagues and instead aimed at garnering attention for their longtime goals — slashing the defense budget is one of them — while also holding Trump accountable for his populist campaign promises.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told Blue Light News that “If Elon Musk wants to change government contracting to cut billions of dollars of waste out of the Pentagon budget, count me in.” Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) said that “I’m all in for cutting waste, making our government efficient and delivering for the people of Georgia” and “I’ll work with whomever I have to work with, if I can, to get that done.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) likewise posted on X, “Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions.”

In some ways, Democrats are returning to form with Musk. Before becoming Trump’s top ally, Musk previously called himself a Democrat and voted for Biden in 2020. As president, Barack Obama met with Musk in the Oval Office and toured SpaceX with him.

By contrast, Musk has complained that Biden’s administration ignored Tesla, including by excluding it from the White House’s electric vehicle event. Biden and Musk have also taken opposing views on labor organizing, with the president supporting the United Auto Workers and the Tesla CEO criticizing the union’s efforts at his company. Musk made a rare visit to Biden’s White House last year, but the meeting was not with the president himself.

During her presidential campaign, Harris likewise held Musk at arm’s length, refusing a proposed interview with him. While touring Pennsylvania in support of Trump, Musk said after the assassination attempts against the former president that “nobody even bothers to try to kill Kamala,” adding, “It’s pointless. Why? They’ll just get another puppet.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the outgoing chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that she is taking a wait-and-see approach to Musk and DOGE.

“I never say never to working with somebody, but I got to see what it is, because there’s a lot of controversies and hypocrisies that are out there,” said Jayapal. “I’m gonna put together my own list of where I think we should be cutting. And I have a feeling it’s not gonna be the same as their list. But I’m gonna try.”

Congress

House Oversight requests Alan Dershowitz testify in Epstein probe

Published

13 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The House Oversight Committee requested that Alan Dershowitz, the lawyer who once represented Jeffery Epstein, testify as part of its investigation into the federal government’s handling of the Epstein files.

The interview is tentatively slated for 10 a.m. on July 9, with a video and transcript of the testimony being released “as expeditiously as practical,” Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote in a letter to Dershowitz on Friday.

“Due to public reporting, documents released by the Department of Justice, documents obtained by the Committee, and your former role as Mr. Epstein’s attorney, the Committee believes you have information that will assist in its investigation,” Comer wrote.

Comer told reporters on Wednesday that he wanted to hear from Dershowitz, who helped Epstein secure a controversial plea deal in his 2008 sex abuse case.

“I’m looking forward to testifying,” Dershowitz wrote in a text message to Blue Light News on Friday, adding that he is “trying to adjust my schedule” for July 9.

Congress

Cornyn tells Mike Lee to lay off John Thune

Published

15 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Sen. John Cornyn isn’t a card-carrying member of the Senate GOP’s growing YOLO caucus. But with less than seven months left in office after losing his primary, the Texas Republican appears to be feeling newly free to speak his mind.

The latest clap-back came Thursday night and the early hours of Friday morning, when Cornyn called a conservative influencer a “grifter” and told Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) on social media to stop publicly blaming fellow Republicans — including Senate Majority Leader John Thune — for the fact that the GOP elections bill doesn’t have support to pass inside the party.

“You don’t have the votes” for the SAVE America Act, Cornyn posted on X. “@LeaderJohnThune can’t change that. It is math.”

He was directing his comments at Lee, who had just penned a post telling Thune, “let’s do this!”

Cornyn continued, “Try focusing on Democrats instead of Republicans. Republican on Republican attacks are hurting our chances to win the majority in November.”

Lee responded to ask, “on what planet is this an attack on Republicans?” and appeared to suggest a staffer was tweeting on Cornyn’s behalf: “Once my friend John Cornyn realizes that you’re saying this in his name—whoever you are—I don’t think he’ll be happy with you.”

Cornyn, however, is known for posting himself on his social media accounts in a chamber where many Senate accounts are run solely by staff. And he’s been making it clear all week that he will push back on Trump and his party when he thinks it’s needed.

In multiple conversations with reporters in the Capitol, Cornyn said that Republicans need to “stop the circular firing squad.” And he added that he won’t intentionally be “a thorn in [Trump’s] side,” but he’s also “not going to go out of my way to try to appease him.”

“I want him to succeed, I want the Republican Party to succeed, I want the country to succeed,” Cornyn said this week. “But on a case-by-case basis, when I think there’s been overreach or just a bad idea, I’m not going to hesitate to weigh in.”

The four-term senator’s comments come after he lost his primary last month to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who Trump endorsed in the final days of the runoff.

Cornyn said in an interview with The New York Times that he was not a “wounded bear” but that he believed Trump’s insistence on “slavish adherence” was going to backfire for Republicans in the midterms and result in “the most miserable two years of his life” if Democrats flip the House or Senate.

“I think it is going to be a pretty bumpy ride for the next seven months,” Cornyn said.

Congress

Capitol agenda: What Schumer told us about AI

Published

18 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Chuck Schumer wants Congress to pass AI legislation. But he’s casting doubt on it happening this year.

“In this Congress, it’s hard,” the Senate minority leader said in an interview Thursday.

Schumer’s reality check isn’t a complete door-slam. But it underscores the steep climb lawmakers face to bridge a slew of intra-party and inter-chamber divides about what Washington’s approach should be toward the emerging opportunities and risks from the rapidly developing technology.

The problems are multi-pronged.

The White House, whose posture toward AI has shifted dramatically in recent weeks, is angling to enact legislation that would preempt state laws in favor of a national standard. Most recently, administration officials have been exploring a plan to attach preemption legislation to bills designed to shore up kids’ safety online. But there are issues — House Republicans aren’t in love with the Senate GOP’s kid safety bills and Senate Majority Leader John Thune has warned that many senators have concerns “about not trampling states’ rights in the process.”

Democrats aren’t unified on what to do next, with the public broadly skeptical about AI.

Some House and Senate Democrats are leery of state preemption and want to wait until next year to tackle AI, when they might be in power. Opposition from key Democrats is a major factor derailing an attempt by Reps. Lori Trahan and Jay Obernolte to strike a deal on legislation that would set nationwide safety and transparency rules while restricting state action. And Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed a moratorium on AI data centers pending stricter government oversight.

Schumer is striking a balanced tone on how to proceed, arguing that there are “tremendous benefits” from AI but that “we also have to have guardrails.”

“We should get something done on AI, and it’s … got to be balanced — keep innovation strong, but have guardrails to prevent the dangers,” he said. “That’s a hard needle to thread, but I would very much like to see that get done the sooner the better.”

What else we’re watching:

— FISA LAPSE, CLAYTON NOMINATION: Thune is vowing to move “fairly quickly” to confirm Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence, with the FISA Section 702 spy authority set to lapse at midnight thanks to a stalemate between Democrats and the White House over the position.

— GOP ADVANCES BIG DEFENSE BOOST — Republicans have taken the first steps toward granting President Donald Trump’s request for the largest budget ever for the Pentagon. Senate Armed Services members on Thursday approved a draft of their annual defense authorization bill outlining priorities for $1.14 trillion in defense spending next year. The House Appropriations defense subcommittee advanced $1.1 trillion in fiscal 2027 funding for the Defense Department in a closed-door markup.

Calen Razor and Connor O’Brien contributed reporting.