MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell Addresses Trump’s ‘Fear’ of Elon Musk

Martin Holmes June 5, 2025, 10:00 am

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Lawrence O’Donnell wasted no time in calling out Donald Trump on Wednesday’s (June 4) episode of The Last Word, where he claimed the president has been scared into silence by Elon Musk.

The veteran news anchor noted that Musk had taken to X this week to criticise Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would add an additional $2.3 trillion in debt to the United States over the next ten years.

“Elon Musk declared today, on day 134 of the Trump presidency, ‘I just can’t stand it anymore.’ And in response, the explosively rageful Donald Trump said nothing,” O’Donnell said, pointing out how Trump has yet to respond to Musk’s criticism.

“And that is how you know who Donald Trump fears in this world,” he added. “If you attack Donald Trump and Donald Trump says nothing, Donald Trump’s silence is the biggest expression of fear that he has.”

Musk, who recently departed his non-official government position as head of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), took to X on Tuesday (June 3), writing, “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

The Tesla CEO continued his attack on Wednesday, tweeting, “Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL.”

Still, as of writing, neither Trump nor his administration have responded to Musk’s comments. This is rare for Trump, who is usually quick to fire back at anyone who criticizes him. For example, he recently referred to Bruce Springsteen as “highly overrated” and a “dried out prune” after the singer called the President “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous” during a concert in Manchester, England.

“Donald Trump attacked Bruce Springsteen for something Bruce Springsteen said at a concert on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean,” O’Donnell stated. “[His] rule of life, as he announced in the first book published in his name… is that whenever he is criticized for something he’s doing he always has to hit back harder. But Donald Trump dare not strike back against the richest person in the world.”

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O’Donnell went on, saying Trump fears “not being able to get more money” from Musk and also fears Musk using his riches against Trump’s candidates and Republican primary elections.

“And Donald Trump fears the richest person in the world convincing Republican members of the Senate and the House not to vote for Donald Trump’s budget bill that Elon Musk now calls a ‘disgusting abomination,'” he added.

O’Donnell later pointed out another Musk tweet, where the X owner called for every Republican who voted to pass the bill to be fired for betraying the American people.

“Two Republicans didn’t vote for it, and that has to mean that Elon Musk wants to fire the man apparently fired him on Friday… That’s Elon Musk saying that Donald Trump betrayed the American people by pushing this bill … So there it is,” the host stated. “On the 134th Day of the Trump presidency, Elon Musk wants to fire Donald Trump for betraying the American people, which is five years late.”

The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell, Weeknights, 10/9 c, MSNBC