Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), flexed his political influence last week by using his platform to derail a bipartisan deal aimed at keeping the federal government open. Historian Nicole Hemmer, writing for MSNBC, compared Musk’s growing sway over Republican lawmakers to the late Rush Limbaugh’s decades-long dominance of the party.
“For three decades, right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh bent the party to his will by dangling the threat of his millions of loyal listeners — and reliable voters — over their heads,” Hemmer wrote. “As Musk tests the power of X to discipline Republican lawmakers, he is also testing whether he can replicate Limbaugh’s singular influence over the GOP — and whether he can use his power to both amplify Donald Trump’s political will and assert his own as well.”
Musk’s influence became apparent when his online posts pressured Republicans to oppose a bipartisan spending agreement. His efforts were echoed by President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who joined in Musk’s tirade and helped substitute a Musk-Trump alternative bill. However, that proposal also failed, and a government shutdown was averted only hours before the deadline—without including the debt ceiling hike Trump had demanded.
Hemmer argued that Musk’s attempts to shape GOP policy reflect “eerie historical parallels” with Limbaugh but also expose similar limitations. “Limbaugh had the power to destroy but not create, something Musk is beginning to learn about his own posting politics,” she wrote. Musk’s ability to disrupt Republican strategy and align it with his agenda mirrors Limbaugh’s influence, but Musk has yet to demonstrate the ability to build durable political coalitions.
Hemmer cautioned Republican lawmakers about their growing reliance on Musk’s platform and influence. “They may want to think twice before handing their power over to an antidemocratic and unpredictable billionaire,” she wrote. However, she expressed skepticism that many would heed this warning, noting the GOP’s history of acquiescing to powerful figures who hold sway over their voter base.
The episode raises broader questions about the role of unelected billionaires in shaping party politics. Whether Musk can replicate Limbaugh’s lasting influence or whether his power will ultimately face the same limitations remains to be seen, but his growing involvement in GOP politics has already sparked comparisons to one of the most dominant figures in modern conservative history.