A source inside the White House told MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough that Elon Musk’s role as Donald Trump’s fall guy is losing its luster for the president.

Scarborough was responding to videos of angry constituents yelling at Republican lawmakers during town halls. “I talked to a source very close to the White House and the president who said they see Elon Musk’s poll numbers going down and the idea that he’s somehow a quote, ‘heat shield,’ and somebody told me last night, close to the president, that heat shield’s not working anymore,” he explained.

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“Elon Musk’s numbers are going down, the president’s numbers in some areas going down, so there has been the blowback.”

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Earlier this month, CNN polling analyst Harry Enten boiled down Donald Trump’s current favor with the American people to one word: “awful,” saying the only president he’s beating at this point in his presidency when it comes to approval ratings is himself during his first term.

In response to Scarborough’s comment, Morning Joe guest and senior political columnist for Politico Jonathan Martin added, “You and I know that Trump doesn’t like folks who are diverting attention from him, and he certainly doesn’t like them when they’re not popular. I think that will eventually seal Elon’s fate.”

Scarborough—who represented Florida as a Republican in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001—went on to issue a warning to GOP members who have chosen to heed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s advice to avoid holding any more town halls.

“I will say, from members of Congress who see what we’re seeing here in these clips, I have seen members of Congress go out and do that, and I have seen members of Congress hide from their constituents and hiding from constituents does not work. Better to go out, get the feedback, and get the blowback and adjust than to hide in your offices.”

As Republicans have fled their districts, many Democrats are working to speak to as many constituents as possible.

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