President Donald Trump has set Elon Musk loose on the executive branch, to stunning early effect. Musk controls the government’s payment system and may block payments he deems wasteful. He has claimed credit for unilaterally shutting down an IRS program and is trying to shut down an entire agency.

To date, Musk has been insulated by his proximity to Trump, as well as the impression that he is carrying out the president’s wishes. But the political education of Elon Musk is about to begin.

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