Republican Support for Elon Musk's Influence Declines Since Trump Election
Support among Republicans for Elon Musk's influence in the Trump administration has significantly declined since the 2024 election, with a corresponding drop in interest from Democrats and Independents as well.
The share of Republicans who desire tech billionaire Elon Musk to have significant influence in the Trump administration has seen a notable decrease in recent months.
According to a poll by The Economist/YouGov taken shortly after the November 2024 election, 47 percent of Republicans expressed a wish for Musk to have "a lot" of influence. In contrast, only 26 percent hold this view today, reflecting a near 50 percent drop. Meanwhile, 43 percent say they would like him to have "a little" influence, while 17 percent want him to have "none at all."
Interest in Musk's influence has also diminished among Democrats and Independents, with only 6 percent from each group desiring "a lot" of influence, down from 15 percent for Democrats and 26 percent for Independents in November.
Overall, only 13 percent of Americans wish to see Musk exert "a lot" of influence in the Trump administration. In comparison, 25 percent would prefer "a little," while 46 percent want "none at all."
The poll indicates that just over half of Americans, 51 percent, perceive Musk as having "a lot" of influence on the Trump administration, encompassing 78 percent of Democrats, 41 percent of Independents, and 35 percent of Republicans.
Additionally, the latest survey shows a decline in favorability ratings for Trump and Vice President JD Vance compared to the previous week's poll. Trump currently holds a 0 net favorability rating, with equal portions viewing him favorably and unfavorably at 48 percent. This marks a decrease from the previous week, which saw a positive net favorability of approximately 3 points.
JD Vance's ratings have declined even further, dropping from a positive net of 2 points to a negative net of 7 points, with 40 percent viewing him favorably and 47 percent unfavorably.
Musk was appointed to spearhead the inaugural Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aimed at eliminating waste within federal departments. However, his actions, such as locking federal workers out of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and gaining access to the Treasury Department's federal payment system, have raised questions among critics about the legitimacy of his authority.
The survey was conducted from February 2-4, 2025, with a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points, polling a total of 1,604 U.S. citizens.
