Elon Musk, renowned entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has become a polarizing figure in American politics. Since taking the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Trump's initiative to reduce bureaucratic waste, Musk has faced intense scrutiny from the left. A startling 71% of Democrats now support a hypothetical law to imprison him for his efforts to streamline government operations
This sentiment isn't isolated to Democrats; 80% of self-identified liberal voters share this view. In contrast, 54% of Republicans and 57% of conservative voters oppose such a law, highlighting a deep ideological divide on the role of innovation in governance. Among unaffiliated voters, 52% support the idea, while 34% oppose it.
Justin Haskins, senior fellow at the Heartland Institute and the poll's primary author, remarked, "The fact that a majority of Democratic voters would support imprisoning Elon Musk for trying to make government more efficient is a shocking indictment of the modern left, which has become increasingly more tyrannical in recent years."
The survey also found that 48% of likely voters would support a law banning Musk from serving in any government capacity. Among Democrats, this figure rises to 68%, while 59% of Republicans oppose such a measure. This push to exclude Musk from public service further illustrates the left's resistance to reformative figures challenging the status quo.
Musk's favorability has taken a hit, with only 42% of likely voters viewing him favorably, down from 45% in March. Notably, 77% of Republicans hold a favorable view of Musk, compared to just 17% of Democrats. This polarization reflects broader tensions in American politics, where innovation and efficiency are increasingly viewed through a partisan lens.