Former US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering appointing Tesla CEO Elon Musk as an advisor in the White House ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The discussions between Trump and Musk have focused on how Musk could provide “formal input” on issues such as the border, the economy, and preventing voter fraud. Although the exact details have not been finalized, the two have been speaking “several times a month” and Musk has previously expressed his opposition to President Biden’s administration.
Musk is the third-richest man in the world and has just begun to warm up to Trump. Citing a report from The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post reported that the two speak on the phone “several times a month.” Musk and billionaire investor Nelson Peltz have also discussed with Trump the campaign Musk started in November to persuade corporate executives not to back President Biden, the report stated.
Musk, the creator of SpaceX and the owner of the social media platform X, has publicly opposed Biden and previously stated he would not provide money to any candidate. However, the South African-born billionaire has presented himself as largely independent. Musk obtained US citizenship in 2002.
Musk met with the former president at Mar-a-Lago following Trump’s triumphs on Super Tuesday, which solidified his status as the presumptive Republican nominee, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. In a cryptic post in March on the US Presidential elections, Musk had said that he has no plans to donate money to either candidate for US President. In a post on X, the multibillionaire wrote, “Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President.”
In the past, Musk has contributed to both Republicans and Democrats, much like many other business titans. He has not heavily invested in a presidential campaign, in contrast to other American billionaires, and over the years, he has divided his contributions roughly equally between Republicans and Democrats, according to the New York Times.
Trump and Biden will be facing off in the presidential elections scheduled for November this year. While Biden is facing the challenge of some domestic issues and his foreign policy — particularly the conflict in Ukraine and Gaza; Trump is under the hassle of multiple criminal cases.
