A Hat, A Stand, and a Moment of Change

It was an ordinary Saturday afternoon at Oakwood Plaza Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. Families strolled through the bustling corridors, children tugging at their parents’ hands, while the enticing aroma of pretzels and cinnamon wafted through the air. For most, it was just another day of shopping and leisure, but little did they know that an extraordinary encounter was about to unfold.

As shoppers moved about, a man dressed in a sharp black blazer and jeans entered through the automatic doors near the food court. His face was unmistakably familiar, and as he walked in, curious glances followed him. He wore sunglasses, but what stood out even more was the bright red MAGA hat perched on his head, a stark contrast to the polished atmosphere of the mall.

Whispers spread like wildfire. “Is that Elon Musk?” a teenage boy standing by the fountain murmured, squinting at his phone, ready to snap a picture. “It can’t be,” his friend replied, already recording. “Why would he be here?”

Within minutes, patrons began to cluster discreetly, their conversations punctuated by gasps and speculative murmurs. The man appeared unfazed, strolling past stores as if he had all the time in the world. He paused to inspect a display of drones at an electronics kiosk, his expression unreadable behind his reflective lenses.

Meanwhile, in the mall’s central office, John Whitaker, the manager, was wrapping up a routine briefing with his staff. Known for his no-nonsense demeanor and dedication to maintaining the mall’s family-friendly image, John was meticulous about enforcing the rules. One of those rules was clear: no political displays of any kind, especially in such a public space.

A knock interrupted his meeting. It was Nancy, one of the security supervisors, looking more animated than usual. “John, you might want to come out here,” she said, her eyes wide with urgency.

“What kind of situation?” John asked, already rising from his chair.

“Well, Elon Musk is here—or someone who looks just like him—and he’s wearing a MAGA hat,” Nancy replied.

John blinked in disbelief. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was,” she said, shaking her head.

Sighing, John grabbed his radio. “All right, let’s handle this quickly.” By the time he reached the main floor, a small crowd had gathered. People craned their necks, whispering to one another, their phones capturing every moment. The man had made his way to the bookstore, thumbing through a book on artificial intelligence ironically titled The Future We Build.

John’s jaw tightened as he approached, his polished loafers clicking against the tiled floor. “Excuse me, sir,” he began, keeping his tone even but firm. “Can I have a word with you?”

The man turned slowly, lowering his sunglasses. If it wasn’t Elon Musk, it was an uncanny likeness. “Yes?” he said, his voice calm but carrying a subtle authority.

John glanced at the hat. “I’m going to have to ask you to remove the hat or leave the premises. We have a strict policy about maintaining a neutral environment here.”

The man raised an eyebrow, mildly amused. “A neutral environment?” he echoed. “Yes, sir. Political attire can be polarizing, and we aim to keep this mall a space where everyone feels comfortable.”

The man smiled faintly, but didn’t move. “Interesting policy,” he said, not backing down. “I’m afraid I have no intention of removing the hat.”

The murmurs among the onlookers grew louder, and a few began recording the interaction more openly. John could feel the weight of their stares, the phones capturing every word. “Sir, I’m asking you politely,” John said, his voice tightening. “If you refuse to comply, I’ll have to involve security.”

The man crossed his arms, the red hat catching the light above. “Do what you have to do,” he said evenly.

John’s hand hovered over his radio, the tension in the air thickening. The radio crackled as he called for additional security. By now, the situation had drawn a considerable crowd. Mothers with strollers paused, teenagers leaned over railings on the second floor, and even the pretzel vendor abandoned his cart to get a closer look. It felt like everyone in the mall had their phones out, live streaming or snapping photos.

Moments later, two uniformed security guards arrived. One, a tall burly man named Eric, took his place beside John, arms crossed. The other, a younger guard named Mia, looked uneasy as her eyes darted between John and the man in the red hat.

“Sir,” John repeated, now with more authority, “this is your final warning. Remove the hat or leave the mall.”

The man glanced at the guards, then back at John. “And if I don’t?” he asked

Trump says Musk, Ramaswamy will form outside group to advise White House on government efficiency

The duo will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance”

Elon Musk speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday said Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” — which is not, despite the name, a government agency.

The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said in a statement that Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added that the move would shock government systems.

It’s not clear how the organization will operate. It could come under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which dictates how external groups that advise the government must operate and be accountable to the public.

Federal employees are generally required to disclose their assets and entanglements to ward off any potential conflicts of interest, and to divest significant holdings relating to their work. Because Musk and Ramaswamy would not be formal federal workers, they would not face those requirements or ethical limitations.

Musk posted on X: “Department of Government Efficiency. The merch will be (fire emojis).” Later he added: “Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!”

Musk has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election.

The president-elect has often said he would give Musk a formal role overseeing a group akin to a blue-ribbon commission that would recommend ways to slash spending and make the federal government more efficient. Musk at one point suggested he could find more than $2 trillion in savings — nearly a third of total annual government spending.

Trump had made clear that Musk would likely not hold any kind of full-time position, given his other commitments.

“I don’t think I can get him full-time because he’s a little bit busy sending rockets up and all the things he does,” Trump said at a rally in Michigan in September. “He said the waste in this country is crazy. And we’re going to get Elon Musk to be our cost cutter.”

Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump.

Trump said in his statement the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”