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Elon Musk, the World’s richest person with an estimated net worth of USD300 billion is now also considered as one of the most powerful persons by many owing to his rising proximity with President Elect Trump. Musk has been instrumental in helping Donald Trump to get elected as President for the second time. He has spent vast amount of money and energy on during the Presidential campaign.
During the campaign trail, Trump has often showered praises for Elon Musk by referring to him as “an amazing guy,” a “super genius” and “new star”. Since Donald Trump victory, Musk has been spending more time at Mar-a Lago then his own offices of Tesla and SpaceX. He is now considered a close confidant of President Elect Trump and is expected a lot more sway in Trump 2.0., even more so than Vice President Elect – J.D Vance.
For his loyalty and support, he has been given leadership role in newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which would be an advisory body with a primary objective of slashing government spending.
Musk use of “X” as a weapon of influence
Since the hostile takeover of X (formerly Twitter), Musk has used the platform effectively to advocate for policies, critique opponents, and rally his 200+ million followers to shape public opinion in real-time. During the Presidential campaign, the platform was considered as an unofficial mouthpiece for Donald Trump policies.
Over next four years, Musk is expected to use “X” to influence policy decisions, garner public support and challenge critiques. This would publicly amplify any internal political discord in the administration and hence, would require frequent interjection from White House spokesperson.
Musk’s Conflict of Interest
Musk’s growing influence on President-Elect, including accompanying Donald Trump on international trips to meet head of states have surprised many in Washington. There are growing concerns of conflict of interests on policies related to US space program and trade negotiations with China, where Musk has large business interests.
Musk business interests in China include a battery factory in Shanghai which opened in 2019 and a second Gigafactory, which is being built at a cost of USD200 million. Any unjustifiably tariffs implemented on China, would put Musk in quandary, as he is considered close to Chinese Premier – Li Qiang.
Musk has stated that he is not in favor of tariffs for China at VivaTech 2024, Musk stated – “Tesla competes quite well in the market in China with no tariffs and no deferential support. I’m in favor of no tariffs.”
Elon Musk also holds federal contracts worth over US$15 billion through its SpaceX company. NASA relies on SpaceX for its rocket program, whereas Pentagon depends on Starlink satellite services that is key for US military international operations. He is now expected to have direct say on these agreements.
Musk businessman first and politician next
Musk’s focus on dismantling federal regulations may alienate traditional Republican factions that rely on regulatory frameworks, thereby creating internal discord. In long-term, his corporate influence and potential conflicts of interest may undermine trust in governance. This dynamic could reshape party priorities, thereby challenging the balance between innovation-driven policies and ideological unity.
Musk’s enduring partnership with Trump underscores a broader transformation in US politics, blending corporate influence with populist leadership. Lawmakers would need to keep a watch on the decisions taken around energy, transportation, and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors, as it might often align with Musk’s own business interests. One must remember that Elon Musk is a businessman / entrepreneur first and a politician next.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint