As the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaches, key figures in the auto industry, including Elon Musk and Ford’s Chairman Bill Ford, are adjusting their expectations and strategies. Recent reports and statements reflect a pragmatic approach to the ambitious promises made during Trump’s campaign.
Elon Musk, who is set to co-head the newly formed Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), has moderated his earlier pledge to cut the federal budget by $2 trillion. In a recent conversation with former Clinton pollster Mark Penn on X, Musk acknowledged that achieving even half that amount would be an “epic outcome.” This adjustment indicates a recognition of the practical challenges in achieving such dramatic fiscal goals, aligning more with expert critiques of his original proposal’s feasibility.
Bill Ford of Ford Motor Company provided insights into Trump’s understanding of the industry. After a lengthy conversation with Trump, Ford expressed optimism about the incoming administration’s grasp of the competitive landscape, particularly concerning the threat from heavily subsidized Chinese automakers. Ford emphasized that affordability, rather than just technological parity, will be crucial in competing with these rivals.
Moreover, Ford isn’t worried about Tesla, led by Musk, gaining an unfair advantage through its relationship with Trump. He believes that Ford will have a voice in policy discussions, suggesting a collaborative rather than competitive stance between American automakers in this new political climate.
Musk’s involvement in government efficiency suggests a push towards deregulation, potentially benefiting Tesla through the reduction of red tape, although this might conflict with Tesla’s financial interests in regulatory credits from other manufacturers.
The political landscape has also seen Musk extend his influence internationally. His critiques of European leaders and support for far-right movements in countries like Germany have stirred controversy, reflecting his significant sway in both domestic and international politics.
As we move into 2025, the interplay between Trump, Musk, and Ford will be pivotal in shaping the future of the American auto industry, balancing between innovation, economic policy, and international trade dynamics.
Article generated from corporate media reports.
Independent Journalism Is Dying
Ever since President Trump’s miraculous victory, we’ve heard an incessant drumbeat about how legacy media is dying. This is true. The people have awakened to the reality that they’re being lied to by the self-proclaimed “Arbiters of Truth” for the sake of political expediency, corporate self-protection, and globalist ambitions.
But even as independent journalism rises to fill the void left by legacy media, there is still a huge challenge. Those at the top of independent media like Joe Rogan, Dan Bongino, and Tucker Carlson are thriving and rightly so. They have earned their audience and the financial rewards that come from it. They’ve taken risks and worked hard to get to where they are.
For “the rest of us,” legacy media and their proxies are making it exceptionally difficult to survive, let alone thrive. They still have a stranglehold over the “fact checkers” who have a dramatic impact on readership and viewership. YouTube, Facebook, and Google still stifle us. The freer speech platforms like Rumble and 𝕏 can only reward so many of their popular content creators. For independent journalists on the outside looking in, our only recourse is to rely on affiliates and sponsors.
But even as it seems nearly impossible to make a living, there are blessings that should not be disregarded. By highlighting strong sponsors who share our America First worldview, we have been able to make lifelong connections and even a bit of revenue to help us along. This is why we enjoy symbiotic relationships with companies like MyPillow, Jase Medical, and Promised Grounds. We help them with our recommendations and they reward us with money when our audience buys from them.
The same can be said about our preparedness sponsor, Prepper All-Naturals. Their long-term storage beef has a 25-year shelf life and is made with one ingredient: All-American Beef.
Even our faith-driven precious metals sponsor helps us tremendously while also helping Americans protect their life’s savings. We are blessed to work with them.
Independent media is the future. In many ways, that future is already here. While the phrase, “the more the merrier,” does not apply to this business because there are still some bad actors in the independent media field, there are many great ones that do not get nearly enough attention. We hope to change that one content creator at a time.
Thank you and God Bless,
JD Rucker
