Musk’s fall is Trump’s deep state defeat

Musk's resignation marks a strategic defeat for Trump, one whose personal significance outweighs any global conflict. Trump and his closest allies saw their mission as the destruction of the "deep state"—the "bureaucrats" they believed hindered the president from carrying out the will of the American people.

While these institutions maintain state mechanisms of governance despite political upheaval within the country, it was these very institutions that held Trump back during his first term. It was these "deep state" operatives who purged his inner circle of pro-Russian agents of influence and made Trump's policy relatively predictable and respectable.

For this reason, loyalty became the primary criterion for Trump when appointing individuals to power structures. However, the Trumpists didn't stop there. Trump appointed billionaire Elon Musk to the newly created position of Special Government Official at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with a single goal: to purge "everyone" and dismantle the century-old "deep state" permanently.

Those who consider Trump to be ideologically chaotic are mistaken. Trump has his own ideology, one in which the state should be run by efficient CEOs, not dull bureaucrats. This was supposed to be the foundation for the entire reorganization of the American government, with the country's top CEO leading it.

But it wasn't meant to be. The new system was never built, and Musk himself became the most unpopular politician in Trump's circle. Now, he's resigning. "The deep state" prevails.

Musk's resignation undermines all of Trump's grand plans, as it signifies that American institutions will continue to function, limiting the president's erratic whims.

It remains unclear what the consequences of Trump's unconventional politics will be for the world, but American democracy will likely survive.

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About the author: Serhiy Taran, Political Scientist

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.