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Civitas Outlook
Topic
Politics
Published on
Mar 26, 2025
Contributors
Arthur Herman
Photo from Tesla Fans Schweiz at Unsplash

Trump and Musk Share the Founder’s Mindset

Contributors
Arthur Herman
Arthur Herman
Senior Research Fellow
Arthur Herman
Summary
Most modern presidents take a managerial approach to the job, which is no way to bring radical change.
Summary
Most modern presidents take a managerial approach to the job, which is no way to bring radical change.
Listen to this article

For the past two months, Americans have watched as two extraordinary and polarizing figures—Donald Trump and Elon Musk—have worked as a team to reduce the size and reach of the federal bureaucracy.

Behind all the criticism, praise and blame heaped on the Department of Government Efficiency, a question lurks: How is it possible that these two men, who barely knew each other before the presidential campaign and who are separated by a quarter-century in age, are able to get along and agree on what to do and how to do it?

The answer is that both men are business founders, with a founder’s mindset and style. This sets them apart from their political counterparts, including many past Republican presidents. It also makes it easier for them to work with other founders, from Silicon Valley tech leaders to cryptocurrency entrepreneurs to venture capitalists.

Continue reading at The Wall Street Journal

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