Making sense of Musk’s takeover. Plus: the danger Trump poses to Ukraine; why the public remains fascinated by the Pope; and an 1887 opera by a Black composer resurfaces.

He is also the political philosopher of tech billionaire Peter Thiel. Yarvin’s fringe ideas have taken center stage and are hiding in plain sight under the cloak of MAGA populism. But Yarvin’s ideas are the antithesis of populism as these ideas promote the consolidation of authority,

President Trump acknowledged DOGE Chief Elon Musk during his speech to Congress Tuesday and rattled off various spending cuts he says have been beneficial to the country.

"Elon doesn't fire people," said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., after a dinner-time pizza meeting with Musk in the basement of the Capitol. "He doesn't have hiring and firing authority," added Hudson, who leads the House Republicans' campaign arm. "The president empowered him to go uncover this information, that's it."

Elon Musk is emerging as a new star in Democratic ads and fundraising appeals, as politicians from Virginia to Wisconsin try to seize on the tech billionaire’s role in slashing the federal government to motivate their voters and donors.

President Trump revealed plans for Cabinet secretaries and other high-level administration officials to have more sway in the Department of Government Efficiency’s push for personnel cuts.