As Washington gears up for the second term of Donald Trump’s presidency, the Democrats are facing the reality of being sidelined, struggling with the realization that despite their years of resistance and plotting, their main political adversary has only grown more formidable and popular, reducing them to a minority party. Yet, there are those who find a silver lining in a novel approach — targeting not the president-elect himself, but his wealthy allies who swarm to his side. They suggest that Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, rumored to launch his so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ from an office within the White House complex, is the real puppeteer. They are preparing to confront the billionaire president-elect’s cronies as they gear up for a battle over Trump’s proposed tax cuts, anticipating an unbeatable chance to shine a spotlight on these connections during Trump’s inauguration on Monday. ‘We are approaching this administration, and the 13 billionaires it has appointed to its cabinet, with the question: ‘Will you serve the American people?’ said Representative Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the second-ranking Democrat in the House. ‘Will you meet with us and work to reduce costs, or will you be feathering your own nest?’ This strategy hints that despite President Biden’s waning popularity and diminishing influence, his farewell speech on Wednesday night about the emerging ‘oligarchy’ and the ‘tech-industrial complex’ might strike a chord with a party in dire need of reclaiming the working-class voters it has lost to Trump. However, this approach is not without its risks, considering the popularity of some of these billionaires: While Musk may be seen as a Bond villain by some, he is still Tony Stark to many others.
Read from: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/17/us/politics/democrats-frame-trumps-friends-as-foes.html