TIME’s power move in the media business

Elon Musk in the Oval Office

This is a golden opportunity for media organizations worldwide to capitalize on the constant stream of headline-worthy content generated by both President Donald Trump and world's richest man Elon Musk.

Over the past week, nearly every major media outlet has fixated on these two influential figures—and the attention doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon.

TIME magazine has added fuel to the fire with its latest controversial cover, featuring Elon Musk seated behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, casually holding a cup of coffee. The striking image has effectively diverted media attention away from Trump, raising speculation that this could be a strategic political move—perhaps even a test of the dynamics between the two powerhouses.

For those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the media industry, cover decisions of this magnitude are made by two key figures: the publisher and the editor-in-chief. They hold the ultimate authority over what gets published and what doesn’t.

TIME magazine is currently owned by Salesforce billionaire Marc Benioff and his wife, Lynne, who acquired it from Meredith Corporation in 2018 for a reported $190 million. Whether there’s a deeper motive behind this particular cover remains uncertain, but one thing is clear—TIME has leveraged this moment more effectively than most other media organizations.

As for the relationship between Musk and Trump, only time will tell. But given the rapid developments since January 20th, one thing seems certain: Musk is here to stay, while Trump only has four years to play.

Regarding President Trump's comment "Is TIME still in business?", that's a different post on the business of media and why TIME sold to the Benioff family rather than the brother of Thailand's richest family, Chatchaval Jiaravanon.