Elon Musk on Time Magazine Cover Behind Resolute Desk Appeared to Surprise Trump

President Donald Trump, while meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the Oval Office on Friday was asked by a reporter if he had a "reaction" to Time magazine's new cover featuring "Elon Musk sitting behind your Resolute Desk." After a pointed "No" and a long pause during which Trump did not look happy, he finally replied, "Is Time magazine still in business? I didn't even know that."

The Time cover, in what could be seen as a calculated provocation, is part of the magazine's upcoming issue that includes a deep-dive by Simon Schuster and Brian Bennett into Musk's sweeping influence over the federal government. As head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has been handed extraordinary power to overhaul the government in alignment with Trump's agenda. Though, recent legal challenges have slowed some of Musk’s more aggressive efforts.

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The starkly designed cover depicts Musk, coffee in hand, flanked by the American and presidential flags against a plain red backdrop. The accompanying article describes Musk's government overhaul as ruthless, noting that "millions of government workers find themselves at Musk's mercy."

"So far, Musk appears accountable to no one but President Trump, who handed his campaign benefactor a sweeping mandate to bring the government in line with his agenda," Schuster and Bennett write. They add that DOGE declined to answer questions about its work, instead referring all inquiries to the White House, which also refused to comment.

This marks Musk's second Time cover in recent months, following a November issue that styled him as "Citizen Musk" and a political "kingmaker" in the 2024 election. Time’s back-to-back stories suggest that Musk, not Trump, may wield the real power, an implication that could unsettle a president known for his desire to be at the center of attention.

Trump's dismissive remark Friday belies his long-standing reverence for Time magazine, where he has been named "Person of the Year" twice and frequently graced the cover.

Since Trump's return to office, Musk has been tasked with executing mass government layoffs reminiscent of his restructuring of Twitter (now X) in 2022. Uncharacteristically for Trump, he appears to have given Musk near-total autonomy in the effort.

Meanwhile, despite his relentless presence on X, Musk has remained conspicuously silent about his latest Time cover—at least for now.

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