‘The Terror Is Real’: An Appalled Tech Industry Is Scared to Criticize Elon Musk

In both Washington and California, a narrative has quickly emerged about Musk’s assault on the federal government: This is what happens when you bring the Silicon Valley playbook to D.C. As Musk’s young lackeys rifle through sensitive databases, conk out in makeshift bedrooms set up in government buildings, and gut entire agencies, the implication seems to be that this is how it’s done in tech. And there is a very loud corner of the tech sector that agrees. But in an industry whose workforce overwhelmingly donated to Democrats, in a region whose voters overwhelmingly backed Kamala Harris, there are also a lot of people in tech who view Musk’s handiwork as not just dangerous, but totally antithetical to running a healthy business, let alone the government. They’re just increasingly terrified to say that out loud.