From "White House Insider" to "Number One Hater", Musk's Betrayal Revelation

Written by: Oliver, Mars Finance

“Watching him build high towers, watching him host guests, watching his tower collapse.” The drama of history seems to don the robe of a new era and be replayed unexpectedly. When we turn our attention to Silicon Valley’s seemingly omnipotent “Iron Man” Elon Musk, a strong sense of déjà vu arises. Once upon a time, he was also the “arm” relied upon by certain political forces, a “White House darling” who chatted and laughed with the power elite under the spotlight, with every word and action seemingly capable of stirring waves in public opinion and interpreted as key signals influencing the tide. However, the world is like a chessboard, ever-changing; in an instant, this technology industry’s figure of prominence has turned his guns around, transforming from a frequent guest to a full-blown, sharp-tongued “number one hater.”

This dramatic “turnaround” is not merely a performance of personal vendetta; rather, it resembles a prism reflecting the complex intertwining of modern power, commerce, and politics. Musk’s shift provides us with a vivid “revelation”: it reveals the fragility and variability of influential figures caught in the political maelstrom, and allows us to glimpse the similar fate trajectories of those historical “strongmen” who championed change. If history is indeed a mirror, what immutable laws can we discern from Musk’s abrupt transition from “celebrity” to “detractor,” and what lessons can we derive as warnings for future generations?

Eye of the Storm: The Break between Musk and Trump - A “Karma” of Modern Politics?

Comparing Elon Musk to historically unfortunate reformers is not without basis. The dramatic “war of words” that broke out between him and President Trump from June 5 to 6, 2025, vividly staged a modern version of a “hero” turning into a “sacrificial pawn,” and it clearly revealed the trajectory of this tech giant sliding from being a “White House favorite” to a “top critic,” as well as the potential “outcome” he may face.

Once upon a time, the relationship between Musk and Trump had a seemingly harmonious “honeymoon period.” Musk was once a frequent visitor to the White House, participating in Trump’s Economic Advisory Council. His enormous influence in the tech and business sectors was undoubtedly a force that any political figure would hope to win over. However, this delicate balance was completely shattered when Musk publicly criticized the “massive spending bill” (the so-called “Great Beautiful Bill”) promoted by the Trump administration.

This public rupture, which is full of mutual accusations, entanglements of interests, revelations of “black material” and even political threats, has completely pushed Musk from a possible “campaign father” and “White House celebrity” to the opposite side of the authorities, and has become a veritable “number one black fan” and “thorn in the side”. His self-description of what Trump “did” is in stark and ironic contrast to the “end” of being threatened to cancel his contract and accused of “going crazy for self-interest”, and it also kicks off our next discussion.

The Cost of Transformation: Why Do “Pioneers” Often “Die First”?

The modern political drama between Musk and Trump is not an isolated case. Throughout history, those who have tried to accelerate the wheels of the times, the “pioneers,” often enjoy a brief moment of glory before quickly plunging into the abyss of fate. The reason for this lies in the inherent risks and profound contradictions that come with change.

First of all, reform will inevitably encounter fierce backlash from entrenched interest groups. In any stable social structure, there exists a complex network of interests. Whether it is bureaucrats holding power, monopolists controlling resources, or traditional discourse holders, they have long been accustomed to the old rules of the game and have benefited from them. The emergence of reformers is like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, disrupting their comfort and privileges. The new order has not yet been fully established, but the counterattack of the old forces has already followed closely.

Second, people’s inertia and fear are also great obstacles to change. There is a natural fear of the unknown and a dependence on habits in human nature. Even if the old system is full of drawbacks, people may be reluctant to change it easily because they are accustomed to this state of “boiling frogs in warm water”. The initial stage of drastic reform is inevitably accompanied by labor pains and chaos, and the adjustment of the pace of life and the uncertainty of the future are themselves a test. At this time, if the old forces continue to incite demagoguery, the people’s doubts and discontents may converge into a turbulent undercurrent, pushing the reformers to the forefront.

Moreover, the character and way of doing things of the change-makers themselves often act as a catalyst to accelerate their tragedy. Changemakers who can move the course of history are often angular, rock-hardened, and even tinged with an almost paranoid idealism. This personality trait is an invaluable driving force when it comes to starting a career and breaking the deadlock; However, once the reform enters the deep water area where it is necessary to build consensus, this kind of uncompromising rigidity will easily make it difficult for it to make enemies on all sides in the complex political game and fall into isolation. Their resoluteness may be distorted into “arbitrariness” in the eyes of opponents; Their foresight may seem too illusory in the eyes of the general public, and they have become “fools’ dreams”.

Echoes of History: Those pioneers who were “too accomplished for their leaders” or “had not yet achieved victory”

This bronze mirror of history clearly reflects the rugged path of reform and the tumultuous fate of its pioneers. Among those who once tried to turn the tide and restore the landscape of the nation, very few were able to achieve success and retire peacefully to enjoy their later years. More often, their unfulfilled ambitions led to premature deaths, leaving future generations with endless sighs and lamentations.

Shang Yang: Injected a shot in the arm for the State of Qin, but set up a gallows for himself.

When it comes to Shang Yang, he is undoubtedly the iron-fisted representative of the Legalist school during the Warring States period. With the firm belief that “there should be no single standard for governing the world, and no ancient laws for state governance,” he entered the State of Qin and immediately resonated with the ambitious Qin Xiaogong. He led a reform that profoundly changed the course of Chinese history. Abolishing the well-field system, opening up roads, rewarding farming and military service, unifying measurements, implementing the county system, and enforcing strict laws—Shang Yang, through his cold and efficient methods, transformed the once weak and isolated State of Qin into a high-speed war machine, laying an unshakable foundation for the future unification of the Qin dynasty.

However, Shang Yang’s reforms came at the cost of a severe shock to the old aristocratic privileges and the subversion of the traditional social structure. He replaced the aristocracy with military merit, allowing commoners to rise in status, which undoubtedly touched upon the fundamental interests of the feudal aristocracy. The strict laws he implemented improved the efficiency of national governance in the short term, but their harshness earned him the reputation of being “cruel and ungrateful.” Even the crown prince was punished for breaking the law, which, while demonstrating the authority of the law, also laid the groundwork for future tragedies.

During the reign of Qin Xiaogong, he could still protect Shang Yang. Once Xiaogong passed away, the Crown Prince (who later became Qin Huaiwen Wang) who had suffered losses due to the new laws ascended to the throne, and the old noble forces surged back like a tide, fabricating charges against Shang Yang for treason. Shang Yang attempted to flee but ironically found himself trapped by the decree he had established: “No lodging for the unverified.” He was ultimately captured and subjected to the brutal punishment of being torn apart by chariots, with his family also suffering retribution. This chief architect who designed the blueprint for the rise of the Qin state ultimately fell victim to the very system he had forged, and his fate is thought-provoking.

Wang Anshi: The Reform Plans of the Stubborn Official and the Historical Regret

Wang Anshi of the Northern Song Dynasty was another ill-fated reform giant who cherished the ideal of helping the world. Faced with the predicament of “poverty and weakness” in the Great Song Dynasty, with the extraordinary courage of “the heavens are not enough to fear, the ancestors are not enough to be afraid, and the words of people are not enough to be compassionate”, with the support of Song Shenzong, he implemented the “Xining Reform” aimed at enriching the country and strengthening the army. The Seedlings Law, the Recruitment Law, the City Law, and the Armor Protection Law… A series of reform measures have touched all aspects of the country’s politics, economy, military, and culture.

Objectively speaking, many of Wang Anshi’s reform measures, their original intentions and ideas, were of considerable progressive significance at that time and even in the eyes of later generations. He tried to adjust the economic order through the power of the state, curb the mergers of the powerful and powerful, increase fiscal revenue, and enhance national defense strength. However, there is often a huge gap between ideals and reality. First, the reform touched the fundamental interests of the conservative scholar group represented by Sima Guang, who believed that the new law “disturbed the people”, “accumulated wealth”, and “violated the ancestral system”. Second, in the process of implementing some good policies, due to improper employment of personnel or misinterpretation by local officials, deviations have occurred, which has increased the burden on some people and caused the reform to lose widespread public support. Third, Wang Anshi himself has an upright personality and even some stubbornness, and it is often difficult to adopt different opinions, resulting in his increasing isolation above the court. In the end, with the death of Song Shenzong, the new law was almost completely denied, and Wang Anshi could only end up in depression and loneliness with unpaid ambitions.

Throughout history, such cases are numerous. The famous general Wu Qi from the Warring States period implemented reforms in the State of Chu, leading it to dominance for a time, but he was shot to death by a rain of arrows after offending the interests of the old nobility following the death of King Dao of Chu. The famous statesman Zhang Juzheng during the Ming Dynasty vigorously promoted reforms in the early years of the Wanli reign, rectifying officialdom, surveying farmland, and enriching the national treasury, which revitalized the political situation. However, despite holding great power during his lifetime, he faced reckoning after his death, with his family assets confiscated and nearly being exhumed and executed.

These pioneers of reform were all outstanding figures of their time. They attempted to change the course of history with their own efforts, yet often became victims of the old forces’ counterattacks or were suspected and abandoned by the monarchs they had once supported with all their might. Their tragedy has almost become a cursed fate that reformers throughout history find difficult to escape.

Musk’s “Turncoat” Apocalypse: Lessons Learned from History and Reality

The public break between Musk and Trump, filled with accusations, threats, and “dirt,” is not just a high-level personal feud; it profoundly reveals the dilemmas and risks that reformers may face when dancing with power. By reflecting on the fates of many historical pioneers, we can draw the following profound insights from it:

Revelation 1: The “honeymoon period” of power is always short-lived, and when the benefits are exhausted, the people are scattered. This confrontation between Musk and Trump vividly illustrates the proverb in politics that “there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests”. The once interdependent and frequent interaction is as fragile as a mirror when core interests conflict and the balance of power is no longer tilted. Musk’s self-perceived “merits” may have long been a thing of the past in the eyes of those in power, and even become a “bargaining chip” that can be manipulated at will. When the usefulness of changemakers or influencers diminishes, or when their words and actions begin to challenge the authority and core interests of those in power, the “honeymoon” of yesteryear can quickly disintegrate, and even turn into open hostility and reckoning. This is undoubtedly a profound warning to all those who are trying to leverage their power in the political maelstrom.

Revelation 2: The influence of changemakers is a double-edged sword, which can both carry and overturn the boat. The turning point of the fate of the Shang Dynasty and Wang Anshi in history is often closely related to the attitude of the supreme power. Musk, with his huge influence around the world, can be both an important bargaining chip in the political game and a potential risk factor because he is difficult to control. When he chose to publicly break with a very powerful politician and recount his past “exploits”, he undoubtedly pushed himself to the forefront. Far from being a mere business competition or a dispute over public opinion, this is directly involved in an intricate political contest. In this contest, individual business achievements, technological innovations, and even the so-called “fan base” can be extremely fragile. Musk’s “anti-water” posture certainly shows his personality and dissatisfaction, but it also puts himself in greater uncertainty. Whether his influence translates into effective political protection, or rather, becomes a catalyst for hastening his predicament, the playbook of history always seems to be full of uncertainties. Trump’s revocation of Elon Musk’s nomination for the post of NASA administrator and his hint at the cancellation of government contracts are a realistic manifestation of this risk of “capsizing”.

Revelation 3: Character determines fate, and the loneliness of changemakers is often accompanied by a high price. Musk is now active in the field of public opinion as the “number one black fan”, and what he carries behind it is not only the catharsis of personal grievances, but also the ultimate embodiment of his always maverick and uncompromising character. This kind of character is an invincible weapon when promoting scientific and technological innovation and breaking the monopoly of the industry. But in the political chess game, excessive sharpness and lack of room for maneuver often lead to isolation. Changemakers in history, such as Shang Ying’s meanness and Wang Anshi’s stubbornness, have all exacerbated their own tragedies to a certain extent. Musk’s “anti-water”, from criticizing the “Big Pretty Act” to breaking the “Epstein Papers”, and then to supporting impeachment, can be described as escalating step by step, without concessions, this kind of “tough to the end” choice is commendable, but the price it may pay, history has already given countless references.

Conclusion: The Wheel of History and Personal Choices

“The rolling Yangtze River is passing away, and the waves are sweeping away the heroes.” The development of history has its own internal logic and strong inertia. Any old forces that hinder social progress will eventually be run over by the wheels of the times, and this is an objective law that does not depend on individual will. From this macro perspective, the struggles and attempts of those who have the courage to challenge the old order and promote social change, regardless of whether their personal final outcome is happy or sad, have injected impetus into the progress of history to varying degrees. Although Wang Anshi’s reform ended in failure, some of his reform ideas that shone with the light of wisdom have been continuously reflected on and used for reference in later generations. Although Shang Ying was torn apart, the foundation of the rule of law and the policy of cultivating the country laid by him paved the way for the eventual unification of the Qin state.

However, the grand narrative of history is often difficult to depict in detail the joys and sorrows of individual fate. For changemakers on the cusp of the storm, the price they pay is often unimaginable. They may need to devote their lives to fighting against the inertia and prejudice of the entire era, wandering alone in the loneliness of not being understood, and even eventually becoming ideal martyrs, exchanging their own tragedies for a small progress in history.

So, where will Elon Musk, the “disruptor” of the digital age, ultimately be led by his “countercurrent” actions? Will he also follow the path of many historical pioneers of change? It may be premature to draw conclusions now. The era he is in, with the speed of information dissemination, the frequency of technological iteration, and the breadth and depth of globalization, is far beyond what ancient societies could compare to. The resources, influence, and platforms he has to communicate directly with hundreds of millions of people are also unimaginable for any historical reformer. Perhaps, with his extraordinary intelligence, unwavering will, and profound insights into emerging technologies, he can carve out a new path amidst overwhelming resistance, thereby breaking the so-called “curse” that “reformers do not end well” in history.

But there is another possibility, after all, he will not be able to escape the inherent destiny of a changemaker. When the subversive force he leads touches some insurmountable bottom line, or when he triggers an uncontrollable crisis due to his own decision-making mistakes, the giant wheel of history may also ruthlessly throw him down with its usual coldness and determination. Musk’s transformation from a “White House celebrity” to a “number one black fan” is itself a “revelation” full of warning significance, which warns future generations that in the game of thrones, there are no permanent friends, only eternal interests; The road to change is always full of thorns and unknowns.

Regardless of how the script is written in the future, Elon Musk’s story will be a valuable sample for our time. It prompts us to re-examine the meaning and cost of change, and to think deeply about the complex and subtle interaction between individual will and historical currents. For all those who are concerned about the future direction of human civilization, this is undoubtedly a drama of the times full of suspense, ups and downs, and profound revelations. The alarm bells of history are still echoing, and the thorny road of changemakers is still stretching ruggedly under their feet.