The chaos and confusion created in the administration by his first ultimatum was not enough. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, was back on the attack on Monday and threatened to fire officials who fail to answer an email in which he asks them — without having the authority to do so — to explain what they did at work the previous week. The actions of U.S. President Donald Trump and his main ally are increasingly showing traits that resemble authoritarianism by issuing their threats arbitrarily, without submitting to laws or procedures, and demanding whatever they wish even if they have no legal authority to do so.