Oct 12, 2026 · 14 min
Trump’s leverage pulls Musk back into the Republican fold
1124: Secret Podcast: Elon Musk Came Crawling Back to Trump. JVL Explains Why.
The episode examines how presidential power, business dependence, and data interests can reshape the political choices of even the wealthiest technology leaders.
- 1Trump’s control over government contracts and Musk’s business interests helped drive Musk’s retreat from their public feud.
- 2Manipulated voicemail audio fueled a false story about James Tallarico before reporting exposed the smear campaign.
- 3The hosts argue that Democrats need a sharper strategy for data and artificial intelligence as billionaires align with Trump.
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Jonathan Last and Sarah Longwell argue that Trump’s control over Musk’s businesses, contracts, and data interests forced Musk to retreat.
The brief
Jonathan Last and Sarah Longwell open by revisiting Elon Musk’s enormous political spending and his threat to form a new party if Republicans passed Trump’s signature legislation.
The hosts then examine a false story about James Tallarico, tracing it to leaked voicemail audio that had been manipulated and selectively edited.
Their central argument is that Donald Trump’s control over contracts, businesses, and data-related interests gave him enough leverage to force Musk back toward the Republican Party.
The conversation broadens to billionaires, artificial intelligence, and pay-to-play politics, with Sarah Longwell arguing Democrats must engage more directly with data and the AI economy.
The episode closes by teasing Will Sommer’s investigation into alleged misconduct, possible HIPAA violations, major fines, and potential jail time, with details reserved for Bulwark Plus.