r/politics • u/Quirkie The Netherlands • Mar 06 '25

Soft Paywall Elon Musk Suddenly Doesn’t Want Credit for Disastrous DOGE Cuts - Musk is warning Republicans to stop blaming DOGE for the cuts.

https://newrepublic.com/post/192415/elon-musk-warns-republicans-doge-job-cuts
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1.5k

u/neutrino71 Mar 06 '25

Access to a pile of data he didn't previously have. Disruption of a number of departments that were investigating his businesses.  

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u/francis2559 Mar 06 '25

Also deleting key systems and databases entirely. Like USAID has been crippled so badly by him that an argument they are trying is they physically cannot comply with court orders.

He tried to do things no court could reverse. We will see if he succeeded.

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u/JAZINNYC Mar 06 '25

The wealthiest person in the world literally ripped food and aid out of the hands of those most in need around the world, and the worst part is they had no idea it was coming.

I don’t have enough imagination to describe how black and rotten Musk’s soul must be to be in such a privileged position hurting the most innocent of people :/

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u/[deleted] Mar 06 '25

[deleted]

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u/Paulonemillionand3 Mar 06 '25

It's like an origin story from a comic book. Watching your family starve and the food that could have fed them going to waste on purpose is going make so many very angry people in the future.

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u/[deleted] Mar 06 '25

[deleted]

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u/Paulonemillionand3 Mar 06 '25

Stochastic terrorism can be inadvertently directed I imagine. Their deeds will sow the seeds of their own destruction I'm sure.

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u/kyndrid_ Mar 06 '25

African joker

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u/confusedandworried76 Mar 07 '25

Gonna get even crazier when food rots in our fields because there's no one left to pick it and a fuck ton of it we've now lost buyers for, as well as saying goodbye to food imports, and Americans themselves start starving

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u/greg_regular Mar 06 '25

Hopefully it doesn't just produce more enemies of the US and focuses on Musk. But, with the way the US diplomacy is rn, it could be setting everyone up for failure.

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u/shawnisboring Mar 06 '25

You don't need comic books to tell this story. It's basically the germ of radicalization that eventually makes terrorists.

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u/Enkjdu Mar 07 '25

You do realize, as per a few people who know fElon very well, that he thinks we're living in a simulation, and that he's a comic book character in it.

The fact that he started wearing the black version of MAGA's outfits wasn't an accident, I believe. He's now playing out a villain character.

Or more likely, he had a shitty childhood and is a resentful asshole.

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u/Paulonemillionand3 Mar 07 '25

That's ketamine for you....

1

u/TheArmoredKitten Mar 06 '25

This story has been told already, repeatedly and quite vocally for a bit over two centuries now. It's simply reached a scale that is impossible to accidentally overlook.

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u/travers329 Mar 06 '25

It is a villain you would root for to succeed in this case as well.

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u/General-Raspberry168 Mar 06 '25

Those are antiheroes.

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u/Environmental-Fan984 29d ago

But they're not gonna just target Elon. It's going to be all Americans. We'll all eat shit for the actions of these chucklefucks

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u/jocq Mar 06 '25

That's a fantasy. Law enforcement and the courts are useless in that regard. Only citizens can enact justice on musk now.

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u/CommieLurker Mar 06 '25

I would absolutely LOVE if we started charging the ultra-wealthy with social murder. Because I guarantee you not a single one of them isn't thoroughly covered in blood hundreds of times over

2

u/Jimmybuffett4life Mar 07 '25

Just keep burning down his stupid fucking car dealerships

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u/pannenkoek0923 Mar 06 '25

Elon Muskissinger

1

u/neepster44 Mar 06 '25

At least 300 infants a day got HIV that wouldn’t have otherwise…

1

u/littlefo0t Mar 06 '25

Whatever happened to RICO? In my opinion, this administration seems to be a case for that.

0

u/Timmyty Mar 07 '25

I would like a scientific review to be provided so I can bring it up as evidence if I am ever tried for joining the Mario Bro's ranks.

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u/lizard81288 Mar 06 '25

The wealthiest person in the world literally ripped food and aid out of the hands of those most in need around the world, and the worst part is they had no idea it was coming.

The problem is a lot of people, MAGA, think we should only focus on America, screw everybody else. While I agree people in America need help, we shouldn't abandon our neighbors either.

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u/JAZINNYC Mar 06 '25

MAGA have a lot of opinions that are surface-deep. Opinions about something they can’t even conceptualize are worthless.

The wealthiest nation in the world trying to peace out from global relations will lose their status as fast as brain dead MAGA can blink, which is exactly what is happening now.

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u/snorka_whale Mar 06 '25

Yeah exactly, most of maga wants to stop the foreign aid to third world and developing nations. What they didn't expect was them destroying our alliances with other powerful first world allies.

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u/TheBoisterousBoy Mar 06 '25

See, if Republicans came out with a legitimate plan to “Make America Great” and it was verifiably helpful for the American people, I would give them credit.

The America First stuff’s bad in how it’s being done now (because it isn’t so much America First as it is “let’s obliterate the country”) but I would honestly be on-board if their plan was to do something like vigorous funding for a means to eradicate homelessness, to provide national healthcare, to provide genuine aid to the American citizens that need it.

That’s some shit that if one of the Republicans mentioned even I would be like “Hey, let’s hear them out.”

Reduce funding to outside causes, boost funding to interior causes. That shit would be A-Okay in my book. Get our oxygen masks on first and all. But no, we’re ripping the oxygen masks, and tanks, from our neighbors while also yanking them away from our own citizens, then giving everyone the finger, shooting their dog, lighting their house on fire, and then telling them their mom’s ugly.

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u/Strong_Composer456 Mar 06 '25

The problem is they don’t want to fund interior causes either. They’re setting it up to cut Medicare, Medicaid and social security, and their budget wants to cut taxes for those making $320,000+ but raising them for the majority of Americans and increase the deficit by $3.4 trillion.

Seems like they intend to gut all aid to America as well.

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u/TheBoisterousBoy Mar 06 '25

No that’s exactly what I mean. They keep screaming “America First” and then doing literally nothing to benefit the country. Nothing. All of their actions keep actually screaming “America LAST”.

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u/harkuponthegay Mar 06 '25 edited Mar 06 '25

People need to understand why we actually do international development— it is not out of the goodness of our hearts.

America, like any sovereign nation engages in international development to advance its own interests overseas.

That work opens up important markets for our businesses, promotes global stability and reduces conflict (which is again good for business), buys us loyal trade partners and secures our access to vital resources (yes international aid is the way to do that cordially, without having to blackmail countries like Ukraine into handing over their mineral rights).

And the recent embarrassing mess of diplomacy with Ukraine is proof that republicans know this. Giving aid gives us leverage in negotiations to influence the outcome of global affairs in our favor— when we don’t give, someone else will, and we don’t get a say anymore in how things turn out.

Aid reduces the chance of disease outbreaks and pandemics getting out of control and eventually showing up at our borders, and ultimately it is what keeps the world using the dollar as the global reserve currency.

International aid is money that we are spending in other countries but on America. It is much cheaper to give aid to get those benefits than it is to go to war, and nobody ends up hating you in the process.

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u/MoreRopePlease America Mar 06 '25

Foreign aid is definitely in America's interest. It's an easy way to influence other countries without even having to take military actions. Nothing America does is completely altruistic.

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u/Kipthecagefighter04 Mar 06 '25

As a canadian id love if you just abandoned us rather than threaten us

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u/lizard81288 Mar 06 '25

As an American, I agree. You guys are cool!

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u/LogoffWorkout Mar 07 '25

It would hold more weight if the stuff wasn't being cut soley to offset billionaire tax cuts.

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u/cocochinha Mar 06 '25

It's really gross what's happening. Frankly I want nothing to do with people who think all this is ok, or make excuses for these actions. Just gross.

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u/ippa99 Mar 06 '25

Not only that, engaged in massive, fraudulent waste and inefficiency by holding that aid back - as a lot of it was already purchased food and medicines with short shelf lives. He didn't just say "don't buy any more", he forbid them from administering and shipping it.

His failure to manage and plan and illegally demanding they withhold it indefinitely has caused waste. When this was pointed out as what would happen by the USAID officials, he threw a little tantrum and forced them to resign.

Last estimated loss I saw for this was around $500 million in already purchased supplies that could go bad. No idea how many of those will be shippable and usable in time for that not to be the case.

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u/turdlepikle Mar 06 '25

Didn't he once tweet a question years ago, asking if he should donate a few billion to help starving people somewhere? I don't remember what it was, but I more seem to remember people saying "remember that tweet where he asked if he should donate billions to help the poor?" Of course he never followed through.

2

u/Boss_Atlas Mar 06 '25

No idea it was coming? Project 2025 has been readily available for such a long time, it was in everyones face.

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u/Pathological_RJ Mar 06 '25

I think the person above you is referring to the starving people around the world. Even if they knew it would be cut off I doubt they have many other options

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u/JAZINNYC Mar 06 '25

I’m talking about the poorest people affected in 3rd world countries, P2025 wasn’t in their faces sheesh.

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u/NikipediaOnTheMoon 29d ago

Yeah because everyone around the world voted in your elections, right?

1

u/coffeesippingbastard Mar 06 '25

it's not a matter of his soul. Elon is like a drug user who is completely drugged out of his mind. But Elon's mind is addled by ketamine and Twitter. He's doing all this destructive shit to seek the approval of his distilled crowd of incels and racists on twitter. The guy is a husk.

1

u/haightwrightmore Mar 06 '25

He's worried that high tide is coming in and his sand castle is exposed.he will do anything to keep his unwarranted fortunes

1

u/Semajal Mar 06 '25

It's weird cos I just encountered a friend of mine who loves what Musk is doing, is happy about it, and it's what him and his friends want and it's so odd to see.

1

u/No_String4808 Mar 06 '25

Musk believes he is living in a simulation and that he is the main character and we’re all just NPC‘s. He doesn’t care about those people because he doesn’t think they’re real. Explains a lot of his behavior when you realize he actually believes this.

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u/LivingVeterinarian47 Mar 06 '25

It's a ball of worms he says. At first I thought he was describing Congress.

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u/Riskiverse Mar 06 '25

Can you please point to a single piece of evidence that DOGE has prevented food and medical aid? If you can't find it because it doesn't exist, would you be open to changing your position?

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u/samishgirl 29d ago

I saw the actual piles of food etc sitting on docks ready to be shipped. Now it’s rotting. I consider that to be accurate information.

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u/Riskiverse 29d ago

? Why do you think I care what you think you saw. Is there any evidence at all for these claims?

Afaik it's a complete lie and fabrication. DOGE has not cancelled food or necessary medical aid

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u/kittyonkeyboards Mar 06 '25

He should be charged and arrested for that. A private citizen with no legal authority broke into departments and destroyed them. If I did that I wouldn't be exiting a jail cell in my life.

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u/chaos_nebula Mar 06 '25

And seize starlink under civil asset forfeiture. By their own laws, if it was suspected of being involved in a crime, it's fair game for seizure.

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u/Vankraken Virginia Mar 06 '25

By the end of this, all of Elon's property and stocks should be seized and nationalized.

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u/Timmyty Mar 07 '25

Honestly, billionaires should NOT feel safe.

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u/winstondabee Mar 06 '25

You probably wouldn't have even made it to a jail cell

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u/mockg Mar 06 '25

Also every person on his team should subpoenaed and heavily monitored as they had a lot of access to sensitive data.

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u/MindLikeaGin-Trap Mar 06 '25

And monitored for the rest of their lives. If they're willing to participate in this kind of behavior, they should forever be considered a threat.

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u/MindLikeaGin-Trap Mar 06 '25

All of his assets should be seized to make up for the damage that he's done to our country and others. He's a threat, not only to the US and democracy, but to democracy and countries worldwide.

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u/Aksudiigkr Mar 06 '25

And hired a third party to protect him while inside some of those places. It’s armed robbery, even though without accounting for that it’s treason already

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u/will-read Mar 06 '25

Who exactly would be charging and arresting him? There will be a preemptive pardon before the end of 2028.

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u/[deleted] Mar 06 '25

[deleted]

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u/Smaynard6000 Florida Mar 06 '25

It doesn't matter what age they are because every single one of these "kids" is a legal adult.

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u/hypercosm_dot_net Mar 06 '25

Agreed. Trump signed the EO to create the agency.

Was Musk not reporting his actions to Trump the entire time?

Then he knew and should be accountable too.

How can they take numerous illegal actions, and there be ZERO accountability?

None of what they're doing are within the scope of the President's authority. The SCOTUS ruling on immunity doesn't apply.

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u/tatojah Mar 06 '25

If a decision by the executive branch is irreversible by the judicial branch, it's a power grab.

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u/petty_throwaway6969 Mar 06 '25

Wouldn’t surprise me if he also had back doors placed so he can access the systems later.

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u/CaneVandas New York Mar 06 '25

So are you telling me nobody anywhere is maintaining backups of major databases? Daily, weekly, offsite?

I'm assuming with proper data retention they would be able to do comparative audits of changes and payments that were made between the live and the backup.

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u/francis2559 Mar 06 '25

Backups that Musk couldn't access? No. They have god level access and the president's blessing.

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u/PineappleOnPizzaWins Mar 06 '25

Yeah but it’s not actually that simple if backups are done properly, they are designed to survive god level access being given to a lunatic.

Immutable backups that literally can’t be deleted until they expire are a thing. Yeah you could technically root them out and destroy them but you would need to kill all of the backup systems, you can’t just log in and delete something.

But again, that is something that needs to be set up. I have no idea what their systems look like… but it’s not exactly uncommon these days.

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u/CaneVandas New York Mar 06 '25

Proper backup procedures require offsite storage. You have your immediate onsite's backups and then a set of backups gets transported to an external location so that if the physical site is compromised with things such as fires and flooding you don't lose the entire system.

1

u/Smaynard6000 Florida Mar 06 '25

Cool, throw his ass in fucking prison

1

u/DevelopedDevelopment Mar 07 '25

Do you think post-Trump that many of the systems will be rebuilt from the ground up or would they try hard to salvage as much as possible? Some companies have an old database and a new database for when trying to switch over with some silly stuff when communicating between the two.

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u/Hour_Associate_3624 29d ago

I would hope that these agencies have off-site backups of all their data and systems. Sure, it would suck to revert to a 3 month old state, but it's better than starting over.

1

u/francis2559 29d ago

Musk has god level access to read and write. There's nothing he can't delete.

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u/Hour_Associate_3624 29d ago

Presumably they could revoke his access and then restore from a backup that has been untouched.

1

u/francis2559 29d ago

Why would he leave a backup untouched? Again, you’re acting like this is accidental loss. He set out to destroy every copy, and nothing was there to stop him.

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u/francis2559 29d ago

Why would he leave a backup untouched? Again, you’re acting like this is accidental loss. He set out to destroy every copy, and nothing was there to stop him.

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u/FlyingRock I voted Mar 06 '25

I suspect you're right about investigations into his businesses, wonder if they were about to uncover something juicy.

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u/LaughAtFarts Mar 06 '25

He did publicly say in 4K that if the Democrats won he was going to jail. That's why the election was so important for him.

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u/No_Reception_6835 Mar 06 '25

Yup! "If he loses, I'm f**ked"
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1UPYR6xjAFY

Could it be election tampering?? Election Truth Alliance is finding some out of the ordinary stats.

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u/[deleted] Mar 06 '25

[deleted]

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u/Rich_Bluejay3020 Mar 06 '25

I don’t know where you read that, but that’s not true. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) have not removed Equal Opportunity. It hasn’t been updated since 2016 FAR 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity. There’s plenty of other clauses that deal with EO as well. And each department has their own set of clause supplements that they need to comply with.

Maybe on his contracts they were able to get the clauses removed? But I highly doubt that because it’s breaking the law and the contracting officer can be personally liable for any damages that come from signing a contract like that. I don’t think someone making up to ~170k on the high side is willing to go to prison or pay back the damages lol. But I could be wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️

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u/somme_rando Mar 06 '25

There's also SEC problems.
15 Jan 2025: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/15/elon-musk-sec-lawsuit-00198442

The Securities and Exchange Commission took a parting shot at Musk late Tuesday with a lawsuit related to his $44 billion purchase of Twitter

...

In an 11-page complaint, the SEC alleged that billionaire Musk failed to properly disclose that he had acquired a major stake in Twitter in 2022. The SEC said that by doing so, he was able to benefit from “artificially low prices” as he bought up the shares, while investors lost out on more than $150 million. (News of Musk’s interest in Twitter shares would likely have sent the stock soaring).

1

u/aloneandeasy Mar 06 '25

You are close .. There are still restrictions on government contractors, they've just changed.

Try being a gov contractor and mentioning DEI...

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u/Killerrrrrabbit Mar 06 '25

And awarding himself lucrative contracts.

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u/Newspeak_Linguist Mar 06 '25

He also convinced MAGA voters that he's doing a great job and slashing government waste; the happier they are with DOGE the less they'll notice increasing prices, increasing unemployment, loss of socialist benefits that they didn't realize they were using the entire time. The whole reason Trump picked Musk for this is because he has a following of idiots from WallStreetBets that think he's brilliant and would follow him anywhere.

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u/umchoyka Mar 06 '25

Tanking the stock market so he can swoop in and acquire more investments at a discount

4

u/ScoobyDooItInTheButt Mar 06 '25

Don't forget cutting funding to other companies so he can give those subsidies and contracts to his companies.

2

u/soberpenguin Mar 06 '25

This needs to be thought of as a looting and pillaging raid of the sensitive data of every american. He stole what wasn't nailed to the floor and burned everything else in the village.

2

u/Gin_OClock Mar 06 '25

He's going to sell that data to everyone as well. It's the only way he'll be able to make up his financial failures

1

u/Boss_Atlas Mar 06 '25

Lose a quarter of his wealth and absolutely tank his auto business.

1

u/Suavecore_ Mar 06 '25

Don't forget he riled up the conservative voter base even more so now they're all super on bored with all sorts of new stupid shit

1

u/OddRollo Mar 06 '25

It’s all just business for him

1

u/vthemechanicv Mar 06 '25

exactly this. The data he stole can't be unstolen, and the investigations are probably long deleted. It'd be criminal if we didn't have a criminal for a pardon signer.

1

u/bakerstirregular100 Mar 06 '25

Plus a few huge contracts already like the starlink or the armored cyber trucks

1

u/GlykenT Mar 07 '25

He probably got hold of all the investigation data Vs his companies so even if they restart, he knows what evidence they have, and it may now be tainted or even missing.