A Republican consultant linked to Vice President J.D. Vance sparked a MAGA backlash on Sunday after criticizing Elon Musk for gaining access to American government payment systems.
Ryan Girdusky, a former Senate campaign staffer for Vance and frequent Trump defender, took to social media to voice his concerns over Musk’s expanding influence, especially in relation to government data. Girdusky argued that Musk’s business empire, which heavily relies on government contracts and subsidies, is increasingly dependent on controlling sensitive government systems.
“Let’s just say there was a billionaire who’s made most of their money from businesses whose success was based on government contracts and subsidies,” Girdusky wrote, adding, “The way you go from being billionaire to being a trillionaire is getting hold of govt. data and using it for your next business.”
His comments were met with fierce opposition from some in the MAGA community. Jordan Schachtel, publisher of The Dossier, immediately disagreed, stating that Musk doesn’t need government data or funds to succeed. “Elon does not have any trouble raising capital,” Schachtel wrote. “He could get billions in private money for anything he wants.”
However, Girdusky persisted, clarifying that his concern was not about Musk’s wealth but about the potential misuse of taxpayer-funded resources. Responding to a MAGA supporter who defended Musk’s success, Girdusky countered, “What if it’s all on the back of taxpayers?”
The debate escalated with Girdusky warning that the consequences of Musk’s increasing influence could be “very bad,” a statement that was shared widely by MSNBC contributor Sam Stein, who described it as a rare conservative voice issuing a warning.
This public clash has intensified debate over Musk’s involvement in government systems and raised questions about the balance between private wealth and public resources.
