According to a recent report, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, whose relationship has fluctuated over the years, have talked about Musk taking on a role in the White House.
Musk might spend more time at the White House if former US President Trump returns to office. According to The Wall Street Journal, the duo has been discussing an advisory role for Musk if Trump wins the 2024 election.
While details about a potential White House advisory role for Musk are still scarce, discussions between Musk and Trump reportedly centred on giving Musk responsibilities over border security and economic policy.
However, sources close to the situation suggest the position is still under discussion and might not come to fruition. Despite his disagreements with Trump over the past two years, the Journal claims Musk is urging his wealthy peers to withdraw their support for Joe Biden.
Musk has been reported to be working with investor Nelson Peltz on a project to use data to prevent voter fraud. Musk has been vocal about his views on the Biden administration in recent months.
Musk and Trump: A Complex Relationship
After meeting Musk at Peltz's estate in March, Trump told CNBC: "I've been friendly with him over the years. I helped him when I was president. I helped him. I've liked him." In the same month, Musk expressed in an X post that the US needs a red wave, warning that the country is "toast" if the Republican party doesn't win.
During the New York Times Dealbook Summit in November, Musk told moderator Andrew Ross Sorkin that he didn't plan to vote for Biden but clarified that this didn't mean he would vote for Trump either.
Musk hinted at his political inclination while talking to Don Lemon in March, mentioning that he is "leaning away" from supporting President Joe Biden in the presidential race. In the same month, Musk stated that he had no intentions of donating to Trump or Biden.
However, before that, his biographer Walter Isaacson mentioned in "Elon Musk" that the billionaire had remarked, "Trump might be one of the world's best bullshitters." The Journal reported that Musk has not committed to endorsing Trump.
The outlet also mentioned that Musk and Trump have been dining together and engaging in discussions on a wide range of topics, including immigration, technology, and the United States Space Force. It is also worth noting that Musk briefly served on Trump's White House business advisory group early in his presidency.
However, Musk withdrew from the group after Trump decided to pull the US out of the Paris climate accord in 2017." President Trump will be the only voice of what role an individual plays in his presidency," Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, told the Journal.
Consumer Perceptions: Impact of Musk's Political Views
According to a CivicScience survey exclusively shared with Reuters, Musk's views have diminished his standing among some consumers. On the other hand, Trump admires Musk's wealth and has embraced the rightward shift in the Tesla CEO's politics.
According to Federal Election Commission filings (via WSJ), Musk has described his politics as "fairly moderate" and made smaller donations to Democrats and Republicans in previous years.
His public stance on politics changed in May 2022 when he tweeted that he would vote Republican because he believed Democrats had "become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them."
