What a bipartisan group of legislators hammered out over months, Elon Musk destroyed with a tweet.
Or rather, with dozens of posts on his social media site X, sent at a furious pace over the course of 12 hours last week. In post after post, Musk hammered at the budget deal with a flurry of false claims and threats of electoral retribution against any Republican who dared support the legislation brokered to prevent a government shutdown. And it worked. Republican lawmakers turned on the bill, citing overwhelming pressure from constituents spurred on by Musk's posts. "My phone was ringing off the hook," Republican Rep. Andy Barr told The Associated Press. "The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk."
The specter of voters whipped into a frenzy by an outsider with a megaphone should feel familiar for Republican politicians.
This is a preview of Nicole Hemmer's latest article. Read the full column here.
