Axios: Musk’s fall from MAGA grace opens door for rest of tech

Elon Musk’s abrupt fall from favour with President Donald Trump is causing more than just headlines—it’s creating a rare moment of relief in Silicon Valley’s executive suites.

As Axios insightfully reports, tech leaders who once quietly resented Musk’s privileged proximity to the Oval Office are now hoping to resume business with Washington without the disruptive influence of one of their most unpredictable peers.

Though widely admired for his engineering feats at Tesla and SpaceX, Musk’s erratic behaviour, penchant for overpromising, and chaotic social media presence have long grated on fellow tech leaders. His brief tenure as Trump’s tech whisperer upended the usual dynamics between Silicon Valley and Washington, granting him influence that many believed he wielded more for personal empire-building than broader industry benefit.

Now, as Trump turns on Musk—publicly threatening to cut off federal funding to his companies—executives are watching with both concern and schadenfreude. The spectacle is a sobering reminder that in the current political climate, loyalty is transactional and retribution can be swift. As Axios notes, weaponising presidential power against a single business empire is a chilling signal to other CEOs, regardless of political leanings.

Musk’s personal and financial risks are substantial. He has already alienated the progressive base that once championed his electric vehicle vision. If MAGA loyalists abandon him too, he may find himself isolated, with a shrinking fan base and declining stock values. His ecosystem of companies—largely insulated from the broader tech industry—means the fallout might remain contained, creating space for others to step in.

That “others” include firms like Palantir and Anduril, and individuals like Meta’s increasingly MAGA-aligned Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, who, according to Axios, has cleverly outmanoeuvred Musk in the race for government contracts. Altman’s rebranding of his Stargate data center to appeal to the Trump administration shows that even perceived outsiders can navigate D.C. power dynamics more effectively than Musk.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance has a new opportunity to emerge as tech’s point man in the Trump camp, as former players like David Sacks find their footing again. The silence from most of Silicon Valley—no public gloating, just whispers—shows the high stakes involved. No one wants to be the next target.

As Axios points out, nothing in Trump’s world is ever final. A new election cycle could bring Musk back into favour—or deepen the rift. For now, though, the Musk vacuum in D.C. is being quietly welcomed.

By Vugar Khalilov