@Hertz @VikingWays @MechaSilvio @TrevorGoodchild indeed, no reason to be optimistic about anything. What you should seek is to be neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but realistic. This means considering all evidence.

Musk invested a lot into this, and I think him showing up a lot with Trump means he will get what he wants. What exactly he wants we don't know.

I think he is willing to be the bad guy who lays government employees off - but that doesn't mean they can get that done.

My working theory of what he wants is people to stay out of his hair so he can get to mars, and his goal has become "unfuck government enough so they don't destroy him for being a successful white man who won't bow to their insane demands". (c.f : the government suing him for not hiring illegal immigrants )