Democrats are grappling with how to take on Elon Musk and his unprecedented efforts to remake the federal government, with some favoring direct attacks on the tech mogul and others wondering if they should aim more at President Trump.

Democrats have struggled to find their footing in the second Trump presidency, even as Trump has offered hundreds of thousands of federal employees buyouts and sought to eliminate entire parts of the government.

Musk as been the point of Trump’s spear as he and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have dug into federal agencies, seeking access to payment systems and working to talk federal workers out of their jobs.

Musk has openly relished his position in demolishing the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID), saying over the weekend he was feeding it to the wood chipper instead of going to parties.

Such efforts have made Musk an attractive boogeyman for Democrats still trying to pick themselves up from their November losses, all while dealing with the whiplash of Trump’s presidency.

Yet a number of Democrats aren’t so sure their party isn’t making another mistake with its focus on Musk.

“Why are we so distracted here?” said one top Democratic strategist. “Our singular focus should be on Trump. Not the shiny object Musk represents."

“What's our focus here? Winning back the House in 2026 or pointing at Musk while yelling, 'You can't do that!”

Some Republicans see Musk as an effective lightning rod for Trump, a figure who takes the abuse in place of the new president. It’s a view shared by some Democrats as well.

“Musk is a........

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