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In 2024, candidate Donald Trump portrayed himself as a champion for the average American worker. However, during his initial month in office, he has seemingly become enamored with the billionaire elite, neglecting those who supported his campaign. From the outset, President Trump granted substantial influence to Elon Musk, the wealthiest man globally, while providing him access to sensitive personal data for Musk’s financial gain.
Moreover, Trump and Musk appear to be waging an ongoing campaign against low- and middle-income workers, indicating that the corporate takeover of the government could leave American workers even more disenfranchised than before.
It’s not solely Musk’s influence—Trump has surrounded himself with a cadre of billionaires disconnected from the daily realities of most Americans. The federal minimum wage has stagnated at $7.25 since 2009. Sixty-two percent of Americans support an increase to $15, as they believe that full-time employment should safeguard against poverty.
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Who doesn’t share this view? Trump and his billionaire cabinet. Newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, with a net worth of $521 million, clearly expressed during his confirmation that he believes workers should not receive an increase in the already insufficient national wage floor.
President Donald Trump ran a campaign focused on empowering American workers. Has he delivered on that promise? FILE: Trump addresses the crowd at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News Digital)
Within just a week, Trump had begun dismantling labor unions, where workers unite to negotiate for higher wages and improved working conditions. His initial target was the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the agency tasked with safeguarding workers’ rights.
The NLRB oversees union elections, probes allegations of unfair labor practices, and protects workers from exploitation, much to the dismay of billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Musk. The NLRB requires at least three out of five members to function; however, Trump rendered it ineffective by dismissing member Gwynne Wilcox, who had three years remaining in her term. With only two members left, the board became utterly incapable of enforcing regulations or facilitating union recognition.
This outcome should come as no surprise with Musk’s influence intact. He has always opposed unions, unequivocally stating, “I disagree with the idea of unions,” and has persistently fought against Tesla workers’ attempts to unionize.
Tesla is the sole major U.S. automobile manufacturer without union representation, resulting in employees earning approximately 30% less than their counterparts at GM and Ford, both of which are represented by the UAW. Prior to Trump’s actions on the NLRB, Musk faced 24 investigations for alleged labor infractions at his companies. Now, he operates without checks on his treatment of workers.
What’s next in this plan? Trump is moving forward with a radical agenda to deliver the government to the billionaires through something called Project 2025, which is set to prioritize corporate interests over the workforce.
Project 2025 proposes eliminating all project labor agreements that secure good-paying union jobs and repealing Davis-Bacon, ensuring that taxpayer-funded construction jobs provide living wages.
Even more troubling, it suggests restricting overtime pay to situations where workers exceed 80 hours over a two-week period. Thus, if one works 60 hours one week and only 20 the following, they will forfeit overtime compensation for the first week’s labor.
Additionally, Trump and Musk have continuously criticized federal employees, essential workers who ensure food safety, provide medical services to veterans, administer Social Security, and process passports. Notably, four out of five federal employees reside and work outside the D.C. area. Prior to his confirmation, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought expressed intentions to inflict distress upon federal workers.
On February 7, 2025, House Democrats were barred from entering the Department of Education building in Washington. (Fox News)
The most significant affront to workers comes from the expansive tax and spending bill that Trump and his Republican counterparts are advancing in Congress. This legislation favors billionaires, millionaires, and corporations with tax cuts, while subsequently aiming to dismantle vital programs that assist minimum-wage workers and their families, such as Medicaid.
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Medicaid is responsible for funding most nursing home beds across the nation, where many hardworking Americans’ parents spend their final moments. The proposed cuts will displace nursing home beds, potentially bankrupting working families who can no longer afford the skyrocketing costs of acute care for their family members.
These simultaneous attacks on the workforce are not mere coincidence. Trump has chosen to elevate the elite class—the billionaires, prominent CEOs, and financial magnates—while dismantling protections and services for everyone else.
We know what’s next because Trump has spent the first month in office executing a radical plan to hand government over to the billionaires. It’s called Project 2025, and this anti-worker, pro-corporate plan previews what’s to come.
Musk is indifferent to aiding working-class Americans; his focus lies in utilizing his newly acquired power to enhance his wealth through government control. He leveraged his White House position to secure a meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all to discuss establishing a Tesla factory in India and shipping jobs abroad.
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Musk also shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, aiming to transition X into an unregulated payments platform. Additionally, he dismantled USAID to fortify China’s global standing, a nation where he manufactures half of his vehicles. Unsurprisingly, Musk’s net worth has surged by $130 billion since the election.
Although Trump positioned himself as a champion for everyday Americans, his governance reveals a singular obsession: enriching the ultra-wealthy at the expense of workers. Daily, Americans witness mounting evidence of Trump’s unwavering commitment to his billionaire associates, leading to the neglect of the working-class voters who once supported him. The proof is increasingly impossible to ignore.
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