Trump Celebrates That ‘People Are Loving’ Elon Musk Hours After Poll Shows His Approval Rating Nearly 20 Points Underwater

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Donald Trump continued his campaign to rehabilitate the public image of the world’s wealthiest man, DOGE leader Elon Musk, on Wednesday with something of a wish-casting social media post.

Musk has had a proverbial “terrible, horrible. no good, very bad week” that has seen global protests against Tesla, a spectacular explosion of a SpaceX Starship rocket over the Florida coast, a continued decline in the market cap of his electric car company, and a reported loss of over $20 billion of his net worth.

It is in this context that Trump hosted something of a bizarre infomercial on the White House lawn Tuesday afternoon that was just an 1-800-GOTESLA phone number away from being a direct marketing effort. A White House photographer even captured an image of ad copy talking points on a paper Trump held during the event.

What was the motivation behind the promotional event? Maybe Musk’s sad sack appearance with Larry Kudlow Monday afternoon? Or maybe the $100 million pledge to support Trump’s political campaign Musk made? Or maybe recent polling revealing two out of three Americans polled don’t like the guy? Or D) All of the Above?

Nonetheless Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday morning to direct positive vibes toward Musk, writing, “Wow!!! People are loving Elon, a GREAT PATRIOT. Nice to see!!! DJT”

According to a recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS, 56 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s economic stewardship.

The poll also showed public skepticism toward Trump’s push to cut federal spending and downsize government agencies, and Musk’s involvement in these efforts remains unpopular; just 35 percent of Americans hold a positive view of the tech mogul, while 53 percent disapprove.

So despite Trump’s claims, Americans ain’t buying it