Time will tell if this is merely some temporary spat given far more publicity than really justified, but I have wondered how long Messrs. Musk and Trump would stay that close. They seem two of a kind in a situation where even a continent is not big enough for the two of them.
Or if indeed the close political relationship was always one of convenience, rather like that which existed between Vladimir Putin and the Russian "oligarchs". Those helped each other up until Putin had full control, then he no longer needed them.
The main difference was that in the USA, Musk was really only an employee on a temporary contract to run a quango rather than a proper Department, but was given vast power over the Civil Service with no experience in it, and with little or no proper supervision. Whilst in Russia, as far as can be seen, none of the entrepeneurs were given governmental or civil-service roles; or at least not where they might do more harm than good or undermine their leader. Instead they were given what had been State-owned industries to run; and they did very nicely out of it.
I don't see Elon Musk actually being deported, whatever James Vance might say, but I think his star is fading. Not failing spectacularly like his starships, just declining, though perhaps not gracefully.
