Former President Donald Trump revealed Monday that he would consider offering Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk a Cabinet position or advisory role if he wins a second term in the White House.
In an interview with Reuters, Trump expressed his willingness to bring Musk on board, saying, "He's a very smart guy. If he would do it, I certainly would."
However, Trump also said that he might eliminate the $7,500 tax credit currently available for certain electric vehicles (EVs), a move that could impact Tesla's business.
"Tax credits and tax incentives are not generally a very good thing," Trump said, following a campaign event in York, Pennsylvania.
While Trump expressed admiration for electric cars, he also voiced support for gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrids, and other technologies, hinting at a less favorable regulatory environment for EVs.
Musk, who endorsed Trump last month, has not yet responded to the offer.
As Trump prepares to challenge Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming November election, he has signaled potential changes to the policies that have supported the growth of electric vehicles.
Trump could attempt to reverse Treasury Department rules that have made it easier for automakers to benefit from the EV tax credit, or he might push Congress to repeal it entirely.
During his previous term, Trump sought to eliminate the credit, which was later expanded under President Joe Biden. Trump also mentioned plans to discourage vehicle exports from Mexico to the U.S. by imposing new tariffs, aiming to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
At the same time, he expressed openness to foreign automakers building plants in the U.S., provided they hire American workers.
In a separate comment, Trump criticized Google, describing the tech giant as "almost like the Wild West" but stopped short of specifying any penalties or suggesting it should be broken up.
He also addressed the controversial TikTok app, hinting that its Chinese owner ByteDance might be forced to sell its U.S. assets.
Asked if he could accept continued ByteDance of TikTok, Trump said: "It's very hard to ban something like that, because you're talking about free speech. You're talking about a lot of different things go into that equation, but TikTok has treated me very well."
