New York Times journalist and author Maggie Haberman has revealed the one reason she believes Donald Trump could end up ditching Elon Musk.
Haberman discussed the relationship between the billionaire, who has been at Trump’s side almost constantly since his election victory more than three weeks ago, and the president-elect during an appearance on CNN on Wednesday.
While she said the pair’s relationship appears to be “in good standing” at the moment, Haberman pointed to a potential problem down the line.
“When relationships start to become problematic, in Trump’s mind, is usually when the person starts attracting negative headlines that bounce off on Trump,” Haberman said.
“That’s not happening right now,” she added of Musk.
While some pundits have speculated the two egos could eventually come to blows, Haberman believes their relationship “could last for quite some time” – in large part due to Musk’s vast wealth.
“Trump never likes anybody around for too long and one of the things people around him have come to realize over time is that scarcity is a commodity for them if they want to have longevity with him,” she told CNN.
“Musk is also, and it depends on the day, the richest or one of the richest men in the world and Trump has a huge fascination with wealth. Trump equates wealth with intelligence. And so I actually think this relationship could last for quite some time,” she concluded.
Musk has firmly cemented his place within Trump’s inner circle since Trump’s election win, even being ordained “uncle status” by Kai Trump, Donald Trump Jr.’s daughter.
Even Trump has joked about Musk latching on to his re-election campaign and post-election transition.
“He likes this place. I can’t get him out of here. He just likes this place,” Trump quipped. “And you know what? I like having him here, too.”
Veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher said earlier this month that Trump insiders were confused and unnerved by the extent of Musk’s influence on the president-elect.
“He definitely inserts himself all the time; that’s his style. That’s why he’s just suddenly shown up there like the guest that wouldn’t leave,” she told CNN at the time.
“I’ve heard from Trump people calling me saying, ‘Oh wow, this is odd.’ And I’m like yeah it is, you’ll see much more of it.
“But he’s not going anywhere until Trump throws him out. Which could happen, because they’re both really strong personalities who like to be at the centre of attention.”
Earlier this week, Haberman was on the receiving end of Trump’s wrath following a report about his aide Natalie Harp sending him adoring letters.
Trump took to Truth Social to lash out at the “failing” New York Times and “third rate writer” Haberman.
“Will the failing New York Times apologize to its readers for getting years of ‘Trump’ coverage so wrong,” the president-elect wrote in the post.
“They write such phony ‘junk’, knowing full well how incorrect it is, only meaning to demean.”
Pivoting to Haberman, Trump mockingly misspelled the reporter’s name as he wrote: “Magot Hagerman, a third rate writer and fourth rate intellect, writes story after story, always terrible, and yet I almost never speak to her.”
