Elon Musk has issued a stark warning to Republicans against obstructing Donald Trump—or his own initiatives. During a recent visit to Capitol Hill, Musk, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, cautioned GOP members against opposing their agenda to slash government spending under the president-elect’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene disclosed that Musk and Ramaswamy discussed the idea of creating “naughty and nice” lists to track the actions of lawmakers. “Elon and Vivek talked about having a naughty list and a nice list for members of Congress and senators based on how we vote and spend the American people’s money,” Greene said, as reported by the Associated Press.
Following Trump’s electoral victory, Musk signaled a readiness to challenge Republican lawmakers who fail to align with Trump’s priorities. Responding to reports that he might fund challengers to GOP members unwilling to back Trump’s nominees, Musk wrote on X: “How else? There is no other way.”
Musk’s Growing Political Role
Trump has appointed Musk and Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), cementing their roles in his new administration. A Trump adviser noted that Musk has embraced his campaign involvement and possesses the resources to remain influential. However, Musk’s role continues to evolve.
“I think he was really pivotal in this election. Acquiring Twitter and transforming it into a true free speech platform was essential to Donald Trump’s victory,” said outgoing Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law. “But I don’t think Elon ultimately wants to be in politics—he sees himself as an outsider.”
A Strategic Shift
Some GOP strategists suggest Musk could reinforce Trump’s agenda by leveraging America PAC to pressure key Republicans. Additionally, Musk might target moderate Democrats in critical states, urging them to break with their party on major issues, according to Chris Pack, a Republican strategist and former communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“Instead of twisting GOP arms when you already have majorities in both houses, he could focus on Democrats in key states who oppose Trump’s agenda,” Pack explained. “Pressuring Republicans with a primary challenge risks replacing them with candidates who might lose to Democrats, jeopardizing the seat altogether.”
