On this week’s episode of Elon, Inc., host David and Max chat about the latest Musk-Trump drama. A detente had just emerged when we last recorded, and now it feels like it’s just a matter of time before Musk (and little X) are back in the Oval Office sparring with reporters (and playing on the floor). Will the apologies help Musk secure eased restrictions for self-driving cars and access to Star Wars 2.0 (Trump’s “golden dome” project)? And will Max and David be able to introduce MAMUWT (Musk Always Makes Up With Trump) into the lexicon alongside TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out)? What about MADRA (Musk Always Delays Robotaxi Announcements)? Meanwhile, xAI is in talks to raise $4.3 billion (on top of the $5 billion it’s been trying to raise) since the company has already spent most of the $14 billion it previously raised. Commitments on the debt sale are due Tuesday. Bloomberg’s Carmen Arroyo joins the crew to break down what it means for the future of Musk’s company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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27:26
After the Meltdown, Elon Looks to Robotaxis
On this week’s episode, host David gathers Max Chafkin and Dana Hull to go through the latest developments in the aftermath of the Elon Musk-Donald Trump explosion last week. After two (!) emergency episodes in as many days last week, things seem to have calmed down between the South Africa native and the US president—but there are still signs of friction. Will Trump ever be able to forgive the insults Musk hurled at him on social media (as in, Trump should be impeached a third time)? Can he afford not to? In the midst of all the drama, it’s easy to forget that this week will reportedly see a milestone event for Tesla: the June 12 launch of a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. The operation will be small to start, with just 10-20 cars serving a limited area, according to the company. But the timing of the event is eyebrow raising. Not only does it come on the heels of Musk’s tweet-storm meltdown, it also happens a mere week after a Bloomberg story outlining a lethal crash involving a self-driving Tesla. The crew discuss just how long the odds are for robotaxi success. To end, Chafkin has brought a feud to the program. This week it’s Musk against his own chatbot, Grok. Why is he so disappointed with his digital companion this time? The answer includes a screen short, a left wing meme and an artificial intellgence with a surprising lack of digital critical thinking.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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29:15
Another Emergency: What IS Going on With Elon and Trump?
It didn't take long after our emergency episode yesterday for the beef between Elon and Trump to escalate. The X and Truth Social posts went flying, everyone from Steve Bannon to Kanye West weighed in, and Trump even threatened to sell the Tesla he bought a few months ago. David Papadopoulos and Max Chafkin couldn't wait to dive into the latest news of the feud, and tell us what we should be watching out for next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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14:30
Emergency Episode: Elon and Trump Are Breaking Up in Public. What Happens Next?
Minutes after Trump accused Elon of having "Trump Derangement Syndrome" and Elon claimed "Without me, Trump would have lost the election," we are joined by Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Josh Green for a special emergency podcast to talk about whether this breakup will last. Could Elon and Trump reconcile over a less big, less beautiful tax bill? Could Elon flip parties again and join the Democrats? We game out the possibilities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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14:00
Is Elon’s Political Capital Spent?
Elon Musk’s highly publicized and arguably brand destructive tenure as President Donald Trump’s would-be hatchet man has supposedly drawn to a close. His foray into politics has resulted in tens of thousands of federal workers losing their jobs, the attempted shuttering or gutting of federal agencies (with grim consequences for the world’s poorest) and a growing pile of lawsuits challenging as illegal much of what he did. Add to that his failed bankrolling of a Wisconsin judicial candidate and growing global disdain for him personally, and it’s no wonder the South Africa-native would want to head back to the office. In this episode of Elon, Inc. David Papadopoulos is joined by Max Chafkin and Sarah Frier to analyze just how damaged Musk really is and what his future ambitions might be. After cavorting around Washington and Mar-a-Lago for months, he appears to be rechristening himself as a businessman (instead of Daddy Warbucks of the far-right). Recent interviews with Bloomberg, CBS and the Washington Post certainly make it seem like he wants us to believe that. But on the other hand, his latest X post on the massive Republican spending bill might mean he’s not quite ready to leave the political spotlight. The crew also go through a number of Musk news items from last week, including successful fundraising, some confusing Grok deals that might not actually happen and an explosive report from The New York Times regarding his custody battles and alleged ketamine use. Finally, the trio tries to figure out the origin of that shiner Musk sported at Friday’s press conference in the Oval Office. He blamed his five-year-old son. Although the parents on the panel find that believable, they also go through a list of other suspects.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elon Musk’s sprawling business empire has granted the billionaire a degree of power and global influence that transcends the industries he’s reshaped. He is the leader of no fewer than six hugely influential companies, spanning electric vehicles to wartime communications, and their innovations could shape the fates of nations.
Musk is polarizing, confounding and inescapable. And he is the biggest business story of our time.
Each week, listen in as host David Papadopoulos convenes a panel of Bloomberg Businessweek journalists who are tracking Musk’s companies and the surprising ways they intersect. They break down the business mogul's latest moves and analyze what they could mean for us all.
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