What Americans really think of Elon Musk

Americans view Elon Musk less favorably than Donald Trump, according to a new poll.

Why It Matters

Trump charged Musk with rooting out federal government waste and corruption as head of the advisory Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) when he returned to office in January. But since then, Musk’s department has come under intense scrutiny from lawmakers concerned about its influence on the Trump administration.

What To Know

A CNN/SSRS poll of 1,206 adults, conducted between March 6 and 9, shows 53 percent of Americans hold an unfavorable opinion of Musk, while 35 percent view him positively. Another 9 percent offered no opinion, and 2 percent said they had never heard of him.

In comparison, President Donald Trump’s favorability rating stood at 42 percent, 52 percent unfavorable.

The poll also found a majority of Americans are skeptical of Musk’s ability to influence government policy. About 62 percent believe he lacks the right experience to make meaningful changes, while 61 percent feel he does not have the right judgment to do so.

The poll had a margin of error of +/-3.3 percentage points.

The survey comes amid mounting criticism of Elon Musk’s role and influence in the federal government.

Upon his return to office in January, President Donald Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) via executive order, placing Musk in charge.

Since then, DOGE has recommended firing more than 200,000 federal workers, with approximately 75,000 federal employees accepting buyout plans known as “deferred resignations,” according to the Office of Personnel Management.

Additionally, DOGE has cut around $2.6 billion from government spending, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Amid these workforce reductions, public opinion on Musk’s leadership at DOGE has leaned negative.

A recent poll conducted by Emerson College, surveying 1,000 registered voters between March 3 and 10, found that Musk holds a 42 percent job approval rating at DOGE, while 48 percent disapprove of his performance. The backlash against DOGE’s agenda has been evident at town hall meetings across the country, where numerous Republican lawmakers have faced intense criticism from constituents over their support for the agency.

As a result, some Republican lawmakers have voiced concerns about Musk’s handling of government job cuts.

Senator John Curtis urged Musk to show “compassion” for federal employees, saying on CBS’ Face the Nation last month: “If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s: ‘Please put a dose of compassion in this.’ These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. It’s a false narrative to say we have to cut and be cruel to do it as well.”

Similarly, New Jersey Representative Jeff Van Drew cautioned against the agency’s broad job cuts, telling The Washington Post: “My concern is that we use a scalpel (…) and not use a sledgehammer. We have to be really careful that we’re cutting things that don’t hurt everyday people.”

Curtis also criticized Musk after he announced last month that federal workers would receive “an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” warning that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Defending standard corporate accountability practices, Curtis acknowledged, “It’s not unusual in a corporate setting to have people report and explain what they’re doing, especially if they’re working from home,” but doubled down on his call for empathy, adding, “But I will double down on the fact that we don’t need to be so cold and hard, and let’s put a little compassion and dignity in this as well.”

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski also took issue with DOGE’s email directive, calling it “absurd” in a post on X Monday and describing it as “intimidation” in an interview with NBC. Meanwhile, lawmakers are pushing Musk to submit DOGE’s proposed budget cuts for congressional approval, following numerous legal challenges questioning the department’s authority.

Beyond politics, Musk’s role in the Trump administration also appears to have affected his electric vehicle company, Tesla. In recent weeks, Tesla has been the target of vandalism and protests both in the U.S. and abroad. Some Tesla owners, seemingly seeking to distance themselves from Musk’s political moves, have placed bumper stickers on their cars reading: “I bought it before Elon went nuts.”

Tesla’s stock plummeted by 15 percent on Monday, wiping out nearly $16 billion in market value in a single day, according to CNBC. Investor concerns have grown over Musk stretching himself too thin with his role at DOGE, as well as fears of political backlash and broader economic instability amid the ongoing tariff war.

Musk, however, brushed off the stock falls and a wave of negative media coverage during an interview with Fox Business Network, responding with a line from Monty Python, as he has often done in the past: “But look on the bright side! Always look on the bright side of life!”

On Tuesday, Trump gave Musk and Tesla a public show of support at the White House. The president, standing alongside Musk, reiterated his confidence in the billionaire and his company, stating he would purchase a Tesla himself. Shares jumped nearly 8 percent Wednesday, building on a 3.8 percent gain from Tuesday, according to CNBC.

The event featured several Tesla models displayed for a photo op. During the event, Musk announced, “As a function of the great policies of President Trump and his administration, and as an act of faith in America, Tesla is going to double vehicle output in the United States within the next two years.”

What People Are Saying

Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “Wow!!! People are loving Elon, a GREAT PATRIOT. Nice to see!!! DJT.”

What Happens Next

If this trend continues, Musk’s declining favorability could impact his role in the Trump administration. Additionally, Musk’s businesses, including Tesla and SpaceX, may face increased political scrutiny.