Nicolle Wallace Questions Elon Musk’s Influence Over White House at Press Event

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Alexis N. Crockett
February 12, 2025
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8 minutes read

(MSNBC)

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace interrupted Elon Musk’s lengthy press conference on Tuesday, raising concerns about his growing influence over the White House and questioning who is truly in charge of the administration.

Musk’s appearance at what was originally a scheduled event for President Donald Trump quickly dominated the stage, leaving Wallace and other commentators stunned by his control over the proceedings.

“One: Irony died while he was talking,” Wallace quipped as she cut into Musk’s speech with a fact check. The billionaire entrepreneur used his platform to attack “unelected bureaucrats”, a remark that Wallace swiftly countered. “The only unelected party in any of this is Elon Musk,” she pointed out, highlighting the irony of his critique.

Musk’s comments stirred a wider debate over his influence in government affairs. Andrew Natsios, former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a staunch conservative, expressed concerns about Musk’s involvement in dismantling key U.S. programs. Wallace cited Natsios, who noted that while presidents have the authority to shift USAID’s focus, outright dismantling it was a step too far.

Elon Musk listens as President-elect Donald Trump addresses a House Republicans Conference meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. (Andrew Harnik | Getty Images)

Wallace further argued that Musk’s claims about government inefficiency were contradicted by testimony from both Democratic and Republican cabinet officials. “So, the idea that the bureaucracy, as Elon Musk is describing, isn’t responsive to the policymaker is destroyed by the fact pattern, as testified to by Democratic and Republican cabinet officials,” she stated.

What alarmed Wallace even more was Musk’s dominance in the discussion, leading her to question his role in the administration. “But there you have it. The co-president, speaking much longer and in far greater detail than the president, drawing into serious question who’s in charge?” she said. Her concerns were echoed by lawyer and civil rights advocate Maya Wiley, who argued that Musk’s prominence in political discourse undermined democratic values.

“It certainly isn’t ‘We the People,’” Wiley remarked, referencing the opening words of the U.S. Constitution. Musk’s increasing influence in political and governmental affairs has drawn scrutiny, with critics questioning the extent of his decision-making power behind the scenes. As the debate over his role continues, the latest incident has only fueled speculation about how much authority he wields within Trump’s orbit.