[Report] According to reports from Agence France-Presse and other media outlets, following Elon Musk’s announcement of the establishment of a new political party in the United States, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on July 6th made an implicit criticism of Musk, stating that he should be concerned about his company and focus on business activities rather than getting involved in politics.
Agence France-Presse reported that during an interview with CNN, when asked if Musk’s plans were causing any trouble for the Trump administration, Mnuchin responded with an implicit criticism of Musk.
“I believe the boards of directors at his various companies all wish him back to manage these companies, and he is much better at it than anyone else,” said Mnuchin. “So I think these boards would not like what he announced yesterday, and they would encourage him to focus on business activities instead of political ones.”
Mnuchin also mentioned that the principles promoted by Musk’s newly established government efficiency department are “very popular.” However, he added, “From polls, Elon (Musk) is not popular.”
It is understood that Musk was once considered a close ally of President Donald Trump, contributing over $290 million to Trump’s victory in the federal election cycle last year. He led the creation of the government efficiency department in the new administration, helping Trump significantly reduce federal spending and massively cut federal employees.
However, in recent months, Musk has had disputes with several cabinet members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. A heated argument broke out between Musk and Mnuchin at the White House in April. Sources who heard the argument at the time said Mnuchin once verbally attacked Musk.
On July 5th local time, Musk’s conflict with the Trump administration over the recently enacted so-called “bigger but better” tax and spending bill escalated again. Musk announced the establishment of a new political party, the “American Party,” which is independent of both the Republican and Democratic parties. He claimed the party would represent “80% of the middle voters” in America and aim to secure a seat in Congress during the midterm elections next year.