Elon Musk has no experience in government and lacks knowledge of our history. Yet his wealth apparently qualifies him to use chainsaw on institutions.

Mr. Musk is fundamentally a creature of Silicon Valley, a scene that initiated an entire revolution in power dressing. The young masters of that universe dressed down to show that they were members of a new elite — one that refused to dress like the grown-ups they were about to topple. It was the defeat of the suit by the T-shirt.

Eccentric billionaire Elon Musk tied Tesla to his own identity, and for many years, that worked. But now, the company’s image is tangled in President Donald Trump’s second term as the two become the most powerful duo in Washington.