Platforms and the Presidency: An Unprecedented Situation

As Donald Trump prepares to assume the presidency for the second time, and as Elon Musk prepares to begin his appointed position as co-head (along with Vivek Ramaswamy) of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, we are entering a new and unprecedented moment in American politics. Specifically, after the inauguration, we will find ourselves in a situation in which the most powerful federal government official and one of his closest and most dedicated advisors are also owners of their own social media platforms. Amidst all the hand-wringing and nervous speculation that has taken place in the wake of the 2024 election, this particular dimension of America’s political future hasn’t received the attention it should. The convergence of Trump and Musk’s political power with ownership of social media platforms raises urgent questions about democratic accountability and unprecedented authority over communication platforms.