A leading historian specializing in authoritarianism has described Elon Musk's government activities as a "coup."
Timothy Snyder, professor of history and global affairs at Yale, said that "there is no office that would give him the authority to do what he is doing," warning readers that Musk was in the process of taking over the federal government in his most recent blog post.
"That coup is, in fact, happening. And if we do not recognize it for what it is, it could succeed," he added.
Newsweek contacted Elon Musk through SpaceX via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Elon Musk has been involved in some of the most disputed decisions taken by the new Trump administration, such as the transformation of USAID and the requesting of private financial data from the Treasury. His role as the head of the advisory Department of Government Efficiency has yet to be properly defined, with expanding briefs that have made him one of the most powerful people associated with the government.
What To Know
On Snyder's Thinking about… Substack blog, the Yale professor said that Musk's activity did not directly mirror historical examples of coups, but that technology and the federal government's reliance on data meant that Musk's access resembles a takeover of the levels of power.
"That coup is, in fact, happening," Snyder wrote. "And if we do not recognize it for what it is, it could succeed. In the third decade of the twenty first century, power is more digital than physical.
"The buildings and the human beings are there to protect the workings of the computers, and thus the workings of the government as a whole, in our case an (in principle) democratic government which is organized and bounded by a notion of individual rights.
"The ongoing actions by Musk and his followers are a coup because the individuals seizing power have no right to it. Elon Musk was elected to no office and there is no office that would give him the authority to do what he is doing. It is all illegal. It is also a coup in its intended effects: to undo democratic practice and violate human rights."
Snyder also predicted that Musk was more powerful than President Donald Trump, and had a significant degree of control over the president.
"President Trump, for that matter, will also perform at Musk's pleasure. There is not much he can do without the use of the federal government's computers. No one will explain this to Trump or to his supporters, of course.
"A coup is underway, against Americans as possessors of human rights and dignities, and against Americans as citizens of a democratic republic. Each hour this goes unrecognized makes the success of the coup more likely."
What People Are Saying
Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday: "Elon got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with him, and it's only if we agree with him. Elon can't do and won't do anything without our approval. And we'll give him the approval where appropriate, and where not appropriate, we won't. Where we think there's a conflict, we won't let him go near it."
Vice President JD Vance said on X (formerly Twitter): "'No one voted for Elon Musk.' (They did however vote for Donald Trump who promised repeatedly to have Elon Musk root out wasteful spending in our government.)"
What Happens Next
Democrats have been increasingly irate at Musk's growing power, and are expected to mount an opposition to his Treasury access, as well as his USAID activities.
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About the writer
Theo Burman is a Newsweek Live News Reporter based in London, U.K. He writes about U.S. politics and international news, ... Read more
