GOP lawmakers divided on Musk, seen by some as a liability

Republicans on Capitol Hill are divided over tech billionaire Elon Musk being the public face of President Trump’s aggressive bid to shrink the government, with some souring on Musk’s prominent role as he increasingly has become a target of Democratic attacks.

Several GOP senators worry that having an unelected billionaire crow about slashing federal jobs, which happen to employ many people in their home states, is not a good look when inflation remains a major problem and many Americans are having trouble making ends meet.

Some Republicans, such as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), have defended having the political outsider take the lead in reforming federal agencies. But other GOP colleagues are grumbling that the execution has been “flawed,” as Musk has shuttered agencies and pressured workers to resign.