Supporters of President Donald Trump have been vocal on social media, pleading for the former real estate developer-turned-reality TV star-turned-politician to reconcile with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, following their very public and not-so-amicable breakup earlier this week. However, no calls are pending between the two billionaires, who instead have taken to their respective social media platforms to criticize one another.
Although both had stepped back from hastily posted and very publicly made comments on Friday, it doesn’t seem like a make-up is imminent. Instead, the ongoing feud is reminiscent of the very high-profile spat between newspaper moguls Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Like It
The difference is that, unlike Pulitzer and Hearst, who were never friends, Musk was seen as one of Trump’s closest allies, and his influence almost certainly contributed to Trump’s return to the White House. It may also be harder for them to find common ground again. This is because each is known to be quick to post whatever they feel at the moment, and they own platforms that have millions of followers.
In this way, it is almost a real-time smackdown, more commonly seen in the world of hip-hop, pop music, or reality TV, where celebrities are supported by de facto “teams” in their respective corners.
“To some extent, this social media fight doesn’t have many recent precedents,” said Dr. Cliff Lampe, professor of information and associate dean for academic affairs in the School of Information at the University of Michigan.
“Online feuds are very common, but to have two platform owners each with their own dedicated group of followers and a history of aggressive posting is breaking some type of new ground,” Lampe added. “There are some historical comparisons, but not really anything in living memory.”
There Will Be No Winners
In the short term, the winners are those who aren’t supporters of either Musk or Trump. Critics of the president have argued this moment has been a long time in coming. How could two individuals with such strong opinions, and large egos, not eventually have a differing opinion?
The fact that they control social media platforms ensured that even a minor disagreement could snowball into something far larger.
“When you have two ego-maniacal oligarchs who are unaccustomed to being told no having an online slap fight, it’s entertaining until you remind yourself that one is the president of the United States, and the other a scion of exploding rockets,” suggested Susan Campbell, distinguished lecturer in the Communication, Film and Media Studies Department in the College of Arts and Science at the University of New Haven.
“Both men are adept at grabbing attention and leveraging social media, which certainly amplifies this feud, in addition to cable and traditional media,” added technology industry analyst Susan Schreiner of C4 Trends. “Adding their extreme narcissism and egos to this very public breakup, along with their threats and allegations, makes this feud begin to resemble a script for a blockbuster thriller-drama, with Trump and Musk competing for ratings.”
It would also be easy to view this as entertainment, which, based on social media responses, many already do. But this isn’t a throwdown between rappers, and it mostly certainly isn’t a reality TV show, even if it almost feels like one.
“The only response to that is sadness,” Campbell acknowledged. “These two are going at it as two fake wrestlers go at each other with folding chairs. It’s entertaining — somewhat — but entirely embarrassing for them. I have yet to see a reconciliation accomplished on social media, so this could take a while.”
Regardless of how it shapes out, everyone is a loser. Trump may weather the storm better than Musk, as the MAGA crowd stood behind the president before the tech billionaire walked into the spotlight. Still, Musk continues to operate the platform on which many of the Trump faithful now communicate.
Musk reinstated Trump and others after purchasing Twitter and rebranding it X, so he could just as easily pull the plug again if the situation worsens.
Yet, in the short term, it may be impossible to declare a winner.
“When we look at lower-stakes feuds on social media, the ‘winner’ is usually someone who damages the reputation of the other person, or makes them look foolish,” said Lampe. “My sense is that both of these men will damage each other and both lose in the process, but both will claim they won the battle.”
That will only further complicate the process of getting this band back together.
“It’s possible they reconcile, but some of the more bombastic statements in the last day make that seem less likely,” Lampe continued.
Keeping Up With Appearances
Both President Trump and Mr. Musk are hyper-aware of appearances, and Lampe suggested that this is a big part of what makes them such effective aggressors in online spaces.
“Given the damage already done, and the amplifying effects of both traditional and mainstream media, it’s likely to reconcile, though it may cool to a place where each men ignore the other,” he added. “However, social media will keep churning the posts and the clips, and traditional media will keep mentioning the men in relation to each other, so I’m not sure they can ever be effectively separated.”
A long-term feud will certainly help neither man. Trump already faces intense criticism from his critics, and Musk would only serve to amplify any criticism. Likewise, Musk is still the owner of companies with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts.
“There’s a significant interdependency between SpaceX and the US government,” said Schreiner. “Consider the threat Musk made about decommissioning SpaceX’s Dragon on Thursday, which he later retracted in the evening.”
Likewise, the Musk-owned Tesla took a beating earlier this year. The brand became a polarizing symbol and was targeted by the left. It didn’t gain a lot of traction with the right, but it won’t win back the other side at this point. Thus, it may be in Musk’s interest to mend fences.
“For the sake of his image, brand, and the value of his businesses, circumstances and crisis management may compel Musk to admit or finesse that the ‘break-it’ philosophy backfired in Washington,” added Schreiner, “And that it’s a different culture than Silicon Valley.”
Pulitzer and Hearst never had to admit they were wrong. For them, it was about selling newspapers. For Trump and Musk, the stakes are different, and an ongoing feud may ensures neither gains anything.
