Michael Cohen Predicts The 'Thing That Sinks Trump's Presidency'—And He Has A Point

President Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen predicted that billionaire Elon Musk's "economic jihad"—via the (non-department) Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—would be "the thing that sinks Trump's presidency."

Cohen, who admitted to campaign finance crimes allegedly carried out for Trump and testified against his former boss at last year's falsified financial documents trial, argued in a Substack essay that Trump “rode to power on the backs of working-class Americans.” However, he suggested that Trump’s partnership with budget-slashing advocate Elon Musk—“who thinks government assistance is a joke”—could drive away Republican voters.

Cohen wrote:

“Here’s where the story takes a turn: Trump will soon learn that his support isn’t infinite. His base might be rabid, but even the most die-hard MAGA voter has a breaking point. And when grandma’s Social Security check disappears, when their Medicaid is yanked away, when the reality of Musk’s economic war on the poor sets in; who do you think they’re going to blame?”

Referring to the impact Medicaid cuts would have on millions of Americans, he said:

“You screw over 72.5 million people, and you pay the price. Unfortunately, they will suffer. But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel…" ...

"Musk’s economic jihad against working Americans will be the thing that sinks Trump’s presidency and the Republican party. And for once, the chaos will actually work in the favor of the American people.”

"Here’s the cruel joke: Medicaid beneficiaries are literally prohibited from having more than $3,000 in savings per person, or $6,000 per married couple. That’s it. That’s the threshold. Go a penny over, and you lose your benefits."

"And yet, these are the people Musk (and Trump) have decided to squeeze. As if the elderly and disabled are hoarding fortunes in offshore accounts. As if their emergency funds won’t be drained in a month’s time under the weight of rent, utilities, and sky-high drug prices."

"The numbers don’t lie. Cutting Social Security and Medicare isn’t just bad policy; it’s political malpractice. The vast majority of seniors vote, and they tend to lean conservative. They also tend to despise anyone who threatens their benefits. These aren’t trust-fund babies who can weather the storm of another billionaire tax cut."

"They are people who worked their entire lives, paid into the system, and expect the government to hold up its end of the deal. But in Musk’s America, they’re nothing more than collateral damage."

He added that Trump could face the wrath of voters as a result:

"I call it political malpractice because Trump himself has acknowledged that as president, he is the one ultimately accountable. It’s not like he can pass the blame to Musk and walk away unscathed."

"He can cut him off; but ultimately, the buck stops with him. And when millions and millions of Americans start feeling the squeeze, they’re not going to be writing angry tweets at Elon Musk; no, they’re going to be showing up at the 2026 midterm ballot box, furious at the man, and the republican party, who let it all happen."

"Know this…people vote with their wallets, and when you take away their ability to live with dignity, they remember. They remember at the polls, in protests, and in the furious calls to their representatives. And if Trump thinks he can waltz through his first 100 days without facing the wrath of the very people he’s betraying, he’s in for a rude awakening."

Cohen added that Trump "will soon learn that his support isn’t infinite," noting that "when the reality of Musk’s economic war on the poor sets in," people will retaliate against Trump himself.

Though many acknowledged Cohen's point, opinions were mixed.

DOGE has begun to ruffle feathers already.

General Services Administration official and former Tesla employee Thomas Shedd, told his staff in a meeting last week that “I need wins to defend,” according to audio obtained by The Washington Post.

Using a well-known Silicon Valley term for launching new products, Shedd encouraged his team to “remain focused on the reason you came to the government and this team to begin with, which is to deliver value and ship.”

Just two days after praising Musk in an address to Congress, Trump aligned himself last week with frustrated agency heads, stating that they — not Musk — are responsible for making departmental cuts. Meanwhile, in pro-Trump districts, angry voters have flooded town halls to protest DOGE-driven cuts to government services and the firing of thousands of civil servants.