TIME Cover Reveals Media Desperate To Drive Wedge Between Trump And Musk

If the latest cover of TIME Magazine is any indication, legacy media outlets are going all out in their attempts to drive a wedge between President Donald Trump and the driving force behind the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

As Democrats join — and, in many cases gleefully foment — the collective panic over DOGE’s efforts thus far to reduce the cost and size of government, media outlets are showing their stripes. Instead of acknowledging that American taxpayers might not want to fund LGBT activism in Guatemala or a trans opera in Colombia, media outlets seem content to feed the Democrat narratives — and even create them when necessary.

In the days leading up to the inauguration, Democrats and media were already predicting that the relationship would sour if the SpaceX CEO garnered more media attention than Trump did. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer asked Anthony Scaramucci, whose tenure in the first Trump White House was famously brief, exactly that in December — and Scaramucci said Trump was likely to find something to blame on Musk if he gained too much attention or influence.

Others in media dutifully picked up the torch, referring to the X owner as “President Musk” or, as on ABC’s “The View,” suggesting that Musk was simply lying in wait for an opportunity to trip the president and send him down a flight of stairs.

Once Trump was inaugurated and DOGE really got down to the business of auditing bureaucratic bloat, the panic began anew — as did the media attempts to drive a wedge, or if necessary create one, between Musk and Trump.

TIME joined the fray with a new cover, released on Friday with the caption, “TIME’s new cover: Inside Elon Musk’s war on Washington.”

TIME's new cover: Inside Elon Musk's war on Washington https://t.co/95Qictx4zP pic.twitter.com/QZ73CZqtnM

— TIME (@TIME) February 7, 2025

Other reporters and pundits quickly took up their pails as well, jumping in to help carry the water.

CNBC’s Senior Washington correspondent Eamon Javers posted, “This will be something to watch now- President Trump hates it when his people upstage him, and he views the cover of Time as the ultimate barometer of prestige. Normally, you would say this is when Trump will begin to clip Musk’s wings. But Musk has more throw weight than anyone Trump has dealt with before. (Or does he?)”

This will be something to watch now- President Trump hates it when his people upstage him, and he views the cover of Time as the ultimate barometer of prestige. Normally, you would say this is when Trump will begin to clip Musk’s wings. But Musk has more throw weight than anyone… https://t.co/qfRngGgx7U

— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) February 7, 2025

“This is almost blatantly obvious trying to sow division between Trump and Elon Musk. Will it work?” Breaking Points added.

This is almost blatantly obvious trying to sow division between Trump and Elon Musk. Will it work? https://t.co/qymmcVRjLY

— Breaking Points Commentary (@BreakingPointsN) February 7, 2025

Chris Cillizza posted video commentary in which he likened TIME publishing that cover to a matador waving a red flag in front of a bull. “Donald Trump is not a spotlight sharer,” he said.

Putting Elon Musk on the cover of Time magazine is like waving a red cape in front of Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/XDH6dzIBtw

— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) February 7, 2025

Trump, thus far, seems uninterested in taking the obvious bait. When asked how he felt about the TIME cover showing Musk seated “behind your resolute desk,” the president shrugged and observed that he’d previously been unaware TIME was even “still in business.”

President Trump responds to new @Time Magazine cover with Elon Musk sitting at the resolute desk. @POTUS @WhiteHouse ????????
pic.twitter.com/hvbHuRqc5M https://t.co/sIkVnnRX6U

— NYC Sidewalker???????? (@NYCsidewalker) February 7, 2025

“They are asking him about Time Magazine covers now because the goal is to drive a wedge between Trump and Elon. It’s all elementary school theatrics, all the way down,” Stephen Miller responded.

They are asking him about Time Magazine covers now because the goal is to drive a wedge between Trump and Elon. It's all elementary school theatrics, all the way down. https://t.co/8D9gH7GnRi

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) February 7, 2025