> Musk did nothing except make recommendations. The executive branch took concrete action.

Can you think of a “recommendation” that wasn’t acted upon?

Not who you were responding to:

It is misremembering to frame their actions as recommendations, when they took action themselves, acted first, and asked for permission later. There were infamous public displays of being given carte blanche on the spot after employees told them they didn't have just that. They put metaphorical "heads on pikes" so that they wouldn't have to face questions again outside of court.