For the past 48 hours, Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida has had two types of people: one faction wishing to secure a position in the new administration of the elected president, and another trying to influence him to hire those they choose for senior positions. According to CNN, many sources report that the only person who stands out more than anyone else and has significant influence is billionaire Elon Musk.
Dining together, going out, meetings
The Tesla owner has been spotted at the resort almost every day since Mr. Trump won the election last week. Mr. Musk even dined on the patio some days and spent time with the elected president's family at the golf course on November 10.
The billionaire was also present in the room when Mr. Trump spoke on the phone with several world leaders. In fact, Mr. Musk has been considered for several personnel positions after he publicly expressed his desire.
A source revealed that Mr. Musk was with Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called to congratulate the elected U.S. president on November 6. Mr. Trump put the call on speakerphone and Mr. Zelensky thanked the billionaire for supporting Ukraine’s communication system, helping the country access the Starlink platform.
On November 10, Mr. Musk participated in the Republican Senate leadership contest. The billionaire supported Senator Rick Scott after the Republican from Florida quickly agreed to Mr. Trump’s request.
The previously elected president stated that anyone running for leadership must agree to appoint those he nominates during the time the U.S. Senate is in recess. This is how presidents take advantage of the opportunity to appoint desired positions without needing approval from Congress, though the Democratic Party may seek to block this tactic.
Mr. Musk is not only close to Mr. Trump but also has a close relationship with Howard Lutnick - co-chairman of the elected president's transition team. Billionaire Lutnick - long-time CEO of the financial services company Cantor Fitzgerald - is responsible for personnel matters.
What position will Mr. Musk take?
Sources describe Mr. Trump as "infatuated" with Mr. Musk.
"We must protect the geniuses. We don’t have many like that," Mr. Trump said at the victory celebration early on the morning of November 6.
According to a source, Mr. Musk does not need to take on an official position in the Trump administration while he still has significant influence from the outside. Previously, Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk had publicly proposed that the Tesla owner lead a committee to increase efficiency and cut spending in the federal government. However, Mr. Musk seems not to want a full-time position in the government, as this could affect his executive role in his companies.
Instead, it is likely that Mr. Musk will be appointed to a special committee, allowing him access to important information but not having to adhere to government ethics rules. Among these is a rule requiring those in the administration to divest or transfer assets into a trust fund.
BBC reports that many people are concerned that Mr. Musk will have the power to undermine or completely shape regulations affecting the billionaire’s companies.
According to records from the Federal Election Commission, as of mid-October, Mr. Musk contributed nearly $119 million to a political action committee (PAC) that he is behind to support Mr. Trump. The billionaire also appeared with Mr. Trump at campaign rallies and hosted a chat on the platform X that he owns.
Mr. Musk's big bet on Mr. Trump has paid off almost immediately. A day after the election, investors pushed Tesla's stock up nearly 15%. This amount increased the value of the 411 million shares Mr. Musk directly owns by more than $15 billion and brought Tesla's stock price to its highest level in two years.