WASHINGTON, D.C. — Social media erupted in mockery and confusion Tuesday night after President Donald Trump declared during his first major address of his second term: “The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”
The irony, as pointed out by Democratic lawmakers and political analysts, was that Elon Musk—whom Trump has granted sweeping influence over federal policy through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—was in the room as Trump made the statement before a joint session of Congress.
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“This is almost laughable,” Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) posted on X. “Trump is the one who let an unelected billionaire bring the swamp of corruption right to the White House. Elon Musk is the unelected bureaucrat who must go.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) echoed the sentiment, asking her followers: “What about unelected billionaire shadow president, Elon Musk?”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joined the chorus of criticism, writing, “I agree with Donald Trump that an unelected bureaucrat should be fired. Let’s start with Elon Musk.”
Public health scientist Eric Feigl-Ding also referred to Musk as “Unelected President Musk” in a post on X, while former Clinton administration Labor Secretary Robert Reich took aim at the GOP’s silence on the issue.
“All of the Republicans who for years railed about ‘unelected bureaucrats’ destroying the government are awfully quiet as an unelected bureaucrat destroys the government,” Reich wrote. The reaction from the media was similarly biting.
White House correspondent Brian J. Karem sarcastically questioned, “Did he just fire Elon? He just said the days of unelected bureaucrats running the government are over. What’s Elon?” Sarah Longwell, a Republican Party pollster and founder of The Bulwark, kept it blunt: “Elon Musk is an unelected bureaucrat.”
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Trump made the remarks as he called to “restore true democracy in America again” and vowed to remove from office “any bureaucrat who resists.” However, his administration’s direct empowerment of Musk, a private billionaire with no elected mandate, has drawn heavy scrutiny, underscoring the contradictions in his message.
As Musk continues to wield significant influence over federal operations, the backlash suggests that Trump’s latest pledge may be difficult to reconcile with the reality of his administration’s actions.
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