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More than six weeks into Trump’s second presidency, there are still lots of questions swirling about the exact nature of Elon Musk’s role in the administration. A couple things, however, are clear: Musk has been applying the same reckless approach he used to tear down Twitter to the federal government. And people aren’t loving it.
Ryan Mac and Kate Conger of the New York Times literally wrote the book about Musk’s takeover of Twitter. Called “Character Limit,” it has become something of a guide for besieged federal workers. Time Magazine recently spoke with a federal worker who said that for an inkling of her fate, she and her colleagues “turned to a book called ‘Character Limit,’ which chronicles the way Musk took over Twitter two years ago and fired 80 percent of its staff, often with chaotic and lasting results.”
So as a weekend bonus for subscribers, we talked to Mac and Conger about their book, the similarities between Musk’s Twitter takeover and DOGE, Elon’s drug use, and much more.
“Part of the intent of Musk’s playbook is to create confusion,” Conger told us. “He wants to scare away people who feel overwhelmed. Obviously he wants to cut the federal workforce. Making things uncomfortable and making them difficult is part of the point.”
Mac added that one difference in Elon now compared to three years ago is that he’s more emboldened than ever these days.
“He’s come to understand that he can do anything and there’s really no impact, because he has a large fanbase who will support him through anything,” he said. “Trump has that quote about shooting someone on Fifth Avenue and not losing support. It kind of applies to Elon too.”
A full transcript of the conversation between Mac and Conger and Public Notice contributor Thor Benson, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows.
Thor Benson
