John Heilemann: ‘Unelected Plutocrat [Elon Musk] and His Group of Toadies … Are Staging a Digital Coup’

Heilemann Well I think ░░░░░░░░ I have heard some ░░░░░░░░ the consultants who have ░░░░░░░░ this argument that you ░░░░░░░░ 40 is a political ░░░░░░░░ I think it s ░░░░░░░░ to say that if ░░░░░░░░ were to look at ░░░░░░░░ polling over the course ░░░░░░░░ the past not few ░░░░░░░░ but few decades that ░░░░░░░░ re not wrong that ░░░░░░░░ aid is traditionally thought ░░░░░░░░ as a liberal humanitarian ░░░░░░░░ It s not framed ░░░░░░░░ way you describe it ░░░░░░░░ s not been defended ░░░░░░░░ the way you defend ░░░░░░░░ And USAID in particular ░░░░░░░░ not been put it ░░░░░░░░ that context That s ░░░░░░░░ argument worth making maybe ░░░░░░░░ I understand the kind ░░░░░░░░ reflexive desire of some ░░░░░░░░ to say You know ░░░░░░░░ is a loser Donald ░░░░░░░░ can enjoy this fight ░░░░░░░░ need to move on ░░░░░░░░ a bigger fight I ░░░░░░░░ with you on the ░░░░░░░░ of it I m ░░░░░░░░ with you on the ░░░░░░░░ of it if it ░░░░░░░░ recast in a different ░░░░░░░░ I think if you ░░░░░░░░ going to try to ░░░░░░░░ this fight program by ░░░░░░░░ making the arguments for ░░░░░░░░ this spending or that ░░░░░░░░ or this is the ░░░░░░░░ of cuts that is ░░░░░░░░ in a lot of ░░░░░░░░ you know the things ░░░░░░░░ Elon Musk and his ░░░░░░░░ are focusing on are ░░░░░░░░ that traditionally have been ░░░░░░░░ to defend have not ░░░░░░░░ obvious winners for Democrats ░░░░░░░░ think the notion of ░░░░░░░░ an argument about an ░░░░░░░░ plutocrat and his group ░░░░░░░░ toadies and henchmen with ░░░░░░░░ zip drives staging a ░░░░░░░░ coup in a lot ░░░░░░░░ cases rolling into agencies ░░░░░░░░ no authorization no one ░░░░░░░░ talked about transparency before ░░░░░░░░ say with no accountability ░░░░░░░░ DOGE is acting in ░░░░░░░░ lawless way to go ░░░░░░░░ given programs of all ░░░░░░░░ in kind of the ░░░░░░░░ of night over weekends ░░░░░░░░ computer systems and making ░░░░░░░░ that Congress hasn t ░░░░░░░░ on that no one ░░░░░░░░ authorized that no one ░░░░░░░░ debated beforehand that all ░░░░░░░░ that argument that Democrats ░░░░░░░░ now starting to glom ░░░░░░░░ which is this is ░░░░░░░░ usurpation of the democratic ░░░░░░░░ This is breaking the ░░░░░░░░ This is a coup ░░░░░░░░ all but without the ░░░░░░░░ Those kinds of arguments ░░░░░░░░ fold USAID under that ░░░░░░░░ under that larger argument ░░░░░░░░ sort of say Wait ░░░░░░░░ Stop What s going ░░░░░░░░ here Who gave you ░░░░░░░░ Musk the right to ░░░░░░░░ down anything You are ░░░░░░░░ and you are unconfirmed ░░░░░░░░ are unvetted What is ░░░░░░░░ does your authority derive ░░░░░░░░ think Democrats are starting ░░░░░░░░ see that as a ░░░░░░░░ political argument Rather than ░░░░░░░░ program by program you ░░░░░░░░ to fight this larger ░░░░░░░░ and you need to ░░░░░░░░ it right now.”