If there were any doubts about Elon Musk’s political influence in the contemporary Republican Party, they were largely erased last week. After all, the world’s wealthiest individual managed to play a leading role in derailing a bipartisan spending bill negotiated by the GOP’s own elected congressional leaders.

After Elon Musk took the lead in tanking a bipartisan budget bill last week, a Republican lawmaker said that the Tesla-owner was functioning as the Prime Minister of the United States

“No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump quipped before claiming Democrats were on a “new kick” regarding Musk. “All the different hoaxes, and the new one is, ‘President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk.’ No, no, that’s not happening.”