Special Poll
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky sparked conversation with a Thursday morning post on X, suggesting Elon Musk as a potential Speaker of the House, a position that does not require congressional membership. Paul posited that Musk’s election would significantly shake up Washington, stating, “Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk… think about it… nothing’s impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka ‘uniparty,’ lose their ever-lovin’ minds).”
Following Paul’s suggestion, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia expressed her willingness to support Musk for the role in her own post. Greene emphasized that Musk’s leadership could drive substantial changes in government efficiency, a goal of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory panel co-led by Musk under President-elect Trump’s administration. This panel is focused on reducing federal expenditures and the overall size of government.
This endorsement from Greene came amidst a backdrop of political turmoil where Musk and DOGE co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy were central figures in rallying opposition against a bipartisan spending agreement. Their efforts contributed to Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance calling on Republicans to reject the proposed spending plan.
The situation drew criticism from several Democrats, who argued that Musk was overshadowing Trump in steering the president-elect’s agenda. Representative Dan Goldman of New York voiced his concerns on CNN’s “AC360,” describing Musk’s influential role as an “unelected oligarch governing by tweet” as absurd.
Historically, the idea of selecting a non-member as Speaker isn’t new. In 2015, former Representative Jim Cooper of Tennessee cast his vote for former Secretary of State Colin Powell for Speaker, although unsuccessfully. The role of Speaker, indeed, does not necessitate the appointee to be an elected member of the House, a fact that has occasionally led to discussions about bringing outsiders into this key leadership position.