WSJ Source Reveals CEO Sam Altman’s Failed Attempts to Engage Trump’s Inner Circle Due to Elon Musk’s Dominance

According to sources from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has attempted to reach out to Donald Trump’s inner circle but has met with little success, mainly due to Elon Musk’s significant influence. Since the election, the Tesla CEO has consistently exhibited intentions to “settle scores” with his adversaries, including Altman, one of OpenAI’s co-founders.

Before Trump’s election victory, Elon Musk had already gained a reputation as a disruptor and someone who created many enemies. However, things shifted dramatically after Trump’s win, with Fortune dubbing Musk the most powerful businessman in the world. Pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into Trump’s campaign, Musk even declared himself Trump’s “First Friend” on Twitter-X.

Now, those once labeled as Musk’s adversaries are reportedly anxious about his influence. Musk is even rumored to maintain an “enemies list.”

Unprecedented Power

Throughout his career, Musk has shown a penchant for retaliation, with a long history of lawsuits and public criticisms targeting individuals through his platform, Twitter-X, which boasts 200 million followers. High-profile figures such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are believed to be on Musk’s “blacklist.”

“Sometimes, I feel like my enemies list is too short. There’s a significant number of adversaries, and while I don’t wish to add names, I have no choice,” Musk once tweeted publicly.

WSJ highlights how Musk’s fiery temperament has instilled fear across the business world, affecting titans such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg.

In the most recent instance, Musk escalated legal actions against OpenAI, labeling it a “market-paralyzing demon.” On Twitter-X, Musk mockingly dubbed Altman “Sassy Sam.”

The WSJ asserts Musk’s power is now unparalleled in private enterprise. He controls six prominent companies, including federal government-interacting projects like Tesla and SpaceX, the latter receiving over $15 billion in federal contracts in the past decade.

Influence on Politics

In the political sphere, Musk’s influence is significant, particularly as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he advocates for streamlining the federal government to reduce budget deficits. As a trusted advisor to Trump, Musk has attended high-level meetings influencing key policy and government personnel appointments. Reports suggest Musk rarely leaves Trump’s side and even stays at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club and political headquarters.

Elon Musk’s Dominance and Sam Altman’s Regrets

Musk’s dominance has been evident, attracting the attention of entrepreneurs, politicians, and celebrities seeking his favor. Even Sam Altman, who Musk openly disdains, is attempting to navigate the situation, recognizing Trump’s probable influence over the AI sector. Musk is developing xAI, a rival to OpenAI.

WSJ reports Altman sought support from Trump associates like Jared Kushner and Josh Kushner, the latter being a major OpenAI investor. However, these efforts have yielded limited results, as many fear involvement in the conflict due to Musk’s overwhelming influence.

In recent weeks, Altman reportedly attempted to arrange a meeting with Howard Lutnick, a key figure in Trump’s transition team and a close associate of Musk. Lutnick, expected to head the Department of Commerce under Trump, will oversee AI regulations. While the outcome of Altman’s efforts remains unclear, the WSJ suggests that many executives are hesitant to publicly oppose Musk due to his power.

Other Rivals: Gates, Zuckerberg, Bezos

Bill Gates may also be on Musk’s enemies list, especially after shorting Tesla stock, which angered Musk. In response, Musk shared an unflattering image of Gates on Twitter-X, accompanied by scathing remarks. Gates admitted, “Elon Musk acted terribly towards me after hearing about the short-selling. However, he behaves rudely towards many people, so it’s not entirely personal.”

In 2023, Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cage fight following Meta’s launch of Threads, a rival to Twitter-X. Similarly, Musk has clashed with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos over SpaceX’s dominance in the space industry. Bezos’ Blue Origin even filed complaints with NASA over a $2.9 billion contract awarded to SpaceX.

Business Alliances in Flux

Musk’s immense power has left competitors apprehensive about government actions he might influence, such as stricter antitrust enforcement. Meanwhile, even Altman and Zuckerberg have sought alliances with Trump’s circle. Recently, Zuckerberg attended a Thanksgiving dinner with Trump and Musk at Mar-a-Lago.

Clearly, in the business world, no rivalry is permanent.