Trump may tap Elon Musk to help influence policy if he gets reelected

Donald Trump is well-known for surrounding himself with questionable advisors while in office and it looks like he might continue that trend if reelected. Elon Musk could be one of the former president’s newest conquests. 

Trump and Musk have allegedly discussed a possible advisory role for SpaceX chief if the former president is ushered back into the White House in November according to a short report from The Wall Street Journal. 

Whatever role Musk might hold in the former president’s possible administration is not known according to the American news agency, but those close to the discussions on Musk’s role noted he’d have some influence. 

Trump and Musk discussed ways the Tesla CEO could give his formal input on issues like border security and the economy. If The Wall Street Journal’s reporting is accurate, it may mean the once bad relationship between the two men has improved. 

The relationship between the former president and Elon Musk has always been a bit weird in the public eye. Musk didn’t support Trump in the beginning and Trump would take his public stabs at Musk when he could. 

Just before voters headed to the polls in 2016, Musk was clear he didn’t think Trump was the right man for the job in an interview with CNBC, instead saying that he thought Hilary Clinton was the better choice. 

“I feel a bit stronger that he is probably not the right guy. He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States,” Musk was quoted as saying by Business Insider at the time. 

Musk’s remarks didn’t stop Trump from appointing the billionaire to an advisory council made up of other business leaders, something for which Musk was criticized and had to publicly explain on his then-Twitter account. 

“Advisory councils simply provide advice and attending does not mean that I agree with actions by the Administration,” Musk explained in a short statement he posted trying to explain why he accepted the position. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot X @elonmusk

Musk would eventually cut ties with the former president’s administration in 2017 for its environmental policies, specifically the Tesla leader was upset over Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. 

"Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," Musk wrote in a tweet that announced his departure from the advisory council according to Business Insider. But lots of good and bad has happened since. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot X @elonmusk

In January 2020, Trump called Musk one of the country’s great geniuses and during the global pandemic, he backed Musk in his struggle against California over its Covid rules. Musk would reinstate Trump’s Twitter in 2022 but things weren’t all rosy. 

Trump called Musk a “bull***t artist” in July 2022 after he caught word that Musk said he hadn’t voted for anyone in the previous election, something Trump claimed was untrue since he alleged Musk said he had voted for him. 

Musk responded to Trump’s comments by tweeting he shouldn’t run again for president in a special message that fell slightly short of attacking the former president. I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset,” Musk wrote. 

Musk went on to say a lot more and Trump would respond in kind with a Truth Social post that claimed Musk had asked him for government help to subsidize his projects. He also gloated over Musk’s $44 billion dollar Twitter mess at the time. 

Photo Credit: Truth Social @realDonaldTump

"Now Elon should focus on getting himself out of the Twitter mess because he could owe $44 billion for something that's perhaps worthless. Also, there is lots of competition for electric cars!" Trump wrote at the time. 

Despite the bad blood that has existed, the two billionaires have experienced a bit of a rapprochement as of late with Musk meeting the former president in March 2024 at the home of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz according to Axios.

The alliance between Trump and Musk has apparently grown since their meeting and it was reported by several outlets that Musk now speaks to Trump several times a month via phone. But will this possible partnership last? Only time will tell. 

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