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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Conflicting reports emerged on Wednesday about Elon Musk stepping back from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Initial leaks suggested he was already transitioning out—but the White House quickly pushed back.
👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, senior officials, and investors.
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📍 Where & When: The claims surfaced midweek in Washington, D.C., followed swiftly by a public denial on X.
💬 Key Quote: WH Press Sec Karoline Leavitt responded directly: “This ‘scoop’ is garbage. Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete.”
⚠️ Impact: Tesla’s stock initially dropped 2% but rebounded 3% after the news, as markets digested the likelihood of Musk returning full-time to his businesses. Other federal contractors also saw gains. The press secretary’s rebuttal added a layer of uncertainty.
IN FULL:
Confusion rippled through Washington and Wall Street on Wednesday after reports surfaced claiming that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk had agreed the billionaire would step down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The supposed decision was framed as a mutual one, aimed at allowing Musk to refocus on his companies.
But within hours, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt torched the report, tweeting: “This ‘scoop’ is garbage. Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete.”
According to the original reporting in POLITICO, Musk’s role was being phased into a less active advisory capacity. The outlet cited unnamed officials who claimed that Musk would visit the White House less often and focus more on Tesla, SpaceX, and his other ventures.
Musk’s time at DOGE hasn’t been without friction. Despite the turbulence, Trump has praised Musk publicly, saying, “I think he’s amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run. At some point, he’s going to be going back. He wants to.”
Market watchers were quick to react. Tesla shares dropped 2 percent on the rumor but closed 3 percent higher after speculation Musk could soon return to a more hands-on executive role. Other publicly traded companies with heavy federal contracts also saw modest gains.
Whether or not the leak reflects future plans remains to be seen. But for now, the White House is firmly denying that Musk is stepping away from DOGE—at least before the job is finished.
This “scoop” is garbage.
Elon Musk and President Trump have both *publicly* stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete. https://t.co/Brppff6SKi
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 2, 2025
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: New polling shows Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a prominent America First conservative, soundly defeating Senator John Cornyn, a “moderate” who opposed President Donald J. Trump’s 2024 candidacy, in a GOP Senate primary race.
👥 Who’s Involved: Ken Paxton, John Cornyn, pollsters Fabrizio, Lee & Associates.
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📍 Where & When: Polling was conducted from January 28 to February 2 among 600 likely Texas primary voters.
💬 Key Quote: “John Cornyn has waved the white flag on election integrity, border security, protecting the 2nd amendment, and everything else constitutional conservatives care about.” — Ken Paxton.
⚠️ Impact: Cornyn’s ouster would strengthen the America First movement in the Senate, where establishment Republicans such as the outgoing Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski still hold significant sway.
IN FULL:
A recent poll by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates shows Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has strong support among GOP primary voters, signaling his potential to oust incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a future U.S. Senate race. An initial ballot had Paxton leading Cornyn 53 percent to 28 percent, while a second “informed ballot,” after respondents had been given more information about the pair, increased the margin to 70 percent against just 14 percent.
Paxton, a MAGA stalwart who describes Cornyn as a representative of “the Bush wing of the GOP,” has gained favor with grassroots Texas Republicans for his aggressive lawsuits challenging Biden government policies on immigration and election integrity.
Cornyn, a Senator since 2002, portrays himself as a so-called “moderate” who supports President Donald J. Trump. However, critics—including Paxton—argue he is a Republican in name only, or RINO, who initially opposed the America First leader’s efforts to regain the White House and refused to challenge the lawfare prosections leveled against him by the Biden Justice Department and state Democrats. Previously, he has opposed President Trump’s border wall, and he is currently counter-signaling his tariff policies.
D.C. scuttlebutt: One-time Trump campaign chief Chris LaCivita is going (back) to work for routine Trump-basher John Cornyn?
You can't have it both ways, Chris.
Either you're running the RNC and the "outside political operation" for @realDonaldTrump, or you're backing his…
— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) March 5, 2025
“John Cornyn condemned the House GOP for investigating Soros-backed DA Alvin Bragg’s political persecution of President Trump,” Paxton said in March, arguing the incumbent “was always desperate for the bogus witch hunt to succeed.”
He went further in early 2024, describing Cornyn as a Republican who “has waved the white flag on election integrity, border security, protecting the 2nd amendment, and everything else constitutional conservatives care about.”
Angela Paxton, Ken’s wife and a Texas state senator since 2018, is a key political ally of her husband in the Lone Star state, often energizing his base with her public appearances and evangelical ties through their founding of Stonebriar Community Church.
🚨 BREAKING: New Poll shows Ken Paxton would DEMOLISH John Cornyn in a primary for U.S. Senate in Texas:
Initial Ballot:
Paxton 53%
Cornyn 28%
Informed Ballot
Paxton 70%
Cornyn 14%
Source: Frabrizio, Lee and Associates
1/28/25-2/2/2026
N=600 Texas GOP Likely Primary Voters pic.twitter.com/Rr5wwZVRej
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 2, 2025
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