A new study in the journal Nature Astronomy this week called into question the long-held assumption that the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are on a collision course. The paper concluded that there was only a 2% probability of the two galaxies colliding in the next five billion years despite hurtling at one another at more than 223,600 mph.
For disappointed thrill-seekers captivated by doomsday scenarios, U.S. politics offers a more immediate spectacle: an unprecedented clash between the world’s richest person and the leader of its most powerful nation. There are few, if any, historic parallels for the collision between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, two titans certain to be discussed centuries from now for shaping this pivotal moment in Western history. The implications, both immediate and enduring, are vast and volatile. In which direction will the fragments scatter, and what new political solar system will emerge from the wreckage?
Recommended Stories
- Just let the California high-speed rail die already
- A look into the corruption of San Francisco's nonprofit government
- Anti-IVF advocates make all the right moves
A few important facts can be gleaned from the immediate fallout. The collision was the result of Musk’s choice to escalate. His June 3 post on X calling Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” a “disgusting abomination” ensured the clash. The long-assumed fallout between the titans only became a certainty then. And he has ramped up the conflict at every turn since.
To get a feel for the scale of things, on Thursday, Musk posted on X: “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy, “Boy, that escalated quickly!”
Why is Musk doing this? Is it really over concern for America’s spiraling debt? Or the abrupt withdrawal of Jared Isaacman, Musk’s favored candidate to become the next NASA administrator? Or the spending bill nixing an electric vehicle tax credit? Or, as Trump suggested Thursday in the Oval Office, does Musk simply feel left out?
Perhaps he is trying to create the perception of distance between himself and Trump to sell Teslas to liberals. Perhaps he’s strung out on ketamine.
Regardless, it’s clear that Musk poses a greater political risk to Trump than any other figure the world over. With the thoroughly defeated Democratic Party in disarray, only Musk stands to inflict real damage on the president. However diminished he may be in the eyes of the public following his rocky stint at the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk still owns the nation’s town square over which the national debate is held. He still owns his own satellite internet system (Starlink) and spacecraft company (SpaceX), as well as the world’s most valuable car company.
Perhaps most crucially, Musk commands media attention almost as effortlessly as Trump, which is the truest measure of power in this age. His threat to help defeat supporters in the midterm elections should be taken seriously. Trump knows full well the power of Musk’s limitless resources when it comes to winning elections. His efforts may have come up short at DOGE, but he is still a terrible enemy to have in this political environment.
It will be interesting to see where Vice President JD Vance figures into all of this. Vance and Musk represent two divergent wings of the MAGA coalition: the tech bros and the traditionalists. Vance’s attempt to bridge the gap between the camps by embracing the artificial intelligence race with China notwithstanding, there is a good deal of daylight between the two men’s visions of the future. Both will outlast Trump in the American political scene, likely by decades. The events of this week could someday be seen as the first shots in the longer conflict between the Musk and Vance factions of the GOP. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been vocal in his praise of Musk lately. Should Musk decide to find another political horse to ride, he would be a strong candidate, and perhaps a better ideological match.
It’s safe to say that American politics will never be the same after the collision between titans. And unlike the possible collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda, Americans get to witness it in real time.