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"Too emotional" - that's the narrative that's been used for some for decades to describe why women "aren't fit" to serve as US president, and undoubtedly a driving force behind why there's never been a female to hold office - except, now it's the president and the richest man in the world that are scrapping on the internet like teenagers.
It all started with Musk stepping away from US politics (more namely, DOGE) after a brewing bromance-meets-babysitting arrangement with Trump, before the Tesla founder first decided to poke the bear by criticising his "big, beautiful bill".
The bill in question? A huge domestic legislation bill that would increase the extension of 2017 tax cuts, increased spending at the US-Mexico border, and huge social welfare cuts.
"I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it", he wrote.
“I'm very disappointed, because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here ... He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it,” said Trump in response.
Huge mistake, Trump, huge.
Naturally, the billionaire then came back with a more agitated response, adding: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude."
Oh, and he wasn't done, then going on to make an unsubstantiated claim that the president is "in the Epstein files" which is why they "haven't been released", before vowing that the "truth will come out".
Trump went on to brand Musk "the man who has lost his mind" in an interview with ABC News.
Naturally, the spat has sent the internet into meltdown and has undoubtedly produced some of the best meme content of the year, but away from this total cringe-fest, you just know other world leaders are laughing at the unlikely pair becoming the very thing they promised Kamala Harris would've been, should she have become president.
Let's take a look back, shall we?
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During a Wisconsin rally in 2020, Trump went on record at a campaign trail and said a Harris vice presidency would be “no way for a woman to become the first president” and that “That would rip our country apart.”
Except five years on, Trump has so far managed to jeopardise the US economy through questionable tariffs, with even Musk claiming the country should expect a recession by the end of the year.
In 2024, he deemed that Harris was "born mentally impaired" and claimed that she should be "impeached and prosecuted" - the very man that was convicted of falsifying business records in a hush money case in New York.
These are merely a couple of high-profile hits from a long history of baseless insults used to undermine women in politics, all while Harris stayed silent - and has remained silent in the wake of Trump's public insult streak with Musk.
Who's the emotional one now?
A 2017 study showed that around 13 per cent of Americans were “angry or upset” about the idea of a woman serving as president, and that's without the additional unconscious bias that would stop the public voting for someone like Harris.
However, a 2023 study by Pew Research found that women would be "better" than a man in several key areas of leadership, including working well under pressure, standing up for what she believes in, and maintaining an ethical and respectful tone.
So just what would it take for the general public to give female leaders a chance?
If emotional instability really disqualified you from the presidency, the internet would be eerily quiet right now.
Why not read...
Elon Musk and Donald Trump's 'messy break up' is all over the internet
Elon Musk slams Trump’s ‘one big, beautiful bill’ and people can’t believe they're agreeing with him
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