Although it’s easy to get distracted by the schoolyard nicknames and irresponsible pedophilia accusations that Elon Musk flings around, these are the real questions posed by his open, aggressive use of X to spread false information and promote extremist and anti-European politicians in the U.

After investing weeks at Mar-a-Lago to catch Donald Trump’s ear, Elon Musk has been relegated to the outskirts of Trump’s inner circle. That separation was forced by chief of staff Susie Wiles—Trump’s so-called “ice maiden” and his 2024 campaign co-manager—who denied Musk a coveted permanent office in the White House.