The news that tech billionaire Elon Musk has been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the new Department of Government Effectiveness (D.O.G.E.) further highlights Musk's close relationship with the president. However, for some in the Trump camp, Musk's presence can seem a little intimidating.
Musk has been a frequent presence at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, since Election Day, according to two people familiar with the matter. He has been with Trump almost all day, participating in phone calls and meetings. He has been expressing his views on Trump's second term, even stepping on the boundaries of Trump's transition team, giving people the impression that he is "staying here for a long time." The two sources said that Musk's frequent appearances began to displease some people in Trump's inner circle, who entered Trump's circle earlier than Musk and believed that he was overstepping his authority in the transition process.
On the Bluesky social platform, someone used public flight data to learn that Musk's private plane landed in West Palm Beach near Mar-a-Lago last Tuesday and stayed there for about 24 hours. The plane reportedly took off from West Palm Beach again last Wednesday and flew to Musk's home in Austin, Texas, and then it landed in West Palm Beach again on Friday, where it has been for four days since then. However, it is not clear whether Musk takes the plane on every flight.
“He’s acting like he’s the co-president and he’s making sure everyone knows it,” said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
"He has been taking credit for Trump's victory, bragging about 'America PAC' and 'X' to anyone who will listen, trying to make Trump feel like he owes him a favor, when Trump never owes anyone a favor."
Musk has been one of Trump's biggest supporters. His super PAC, America PAC, has spent more than $152 million to elect Trump and other Republican candidates, with most of the money coming from Musk himself. He also personally held rallies for Trump in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, offered $1 million in bonuses to registered voters every day, and turned his social media account, X, into a "megaphone" for Trump.
During a meeting with House Republicans on Wednesday morning, Trump spoke fondly of Musk, praising his time and dedication to the election, according to two lawmakers present. Trump said Musk had put his business interests on hold for his campaign and asked for nothing in return. At one point, Trump joked that Musk would continue to appear in his orbit, saying, "Elon is not going home. I can't leave him." Lawmakers also insisted the statements were meant in jest.
In X-posts over the past week, Musk has pushed various policy ideas, including deporting immigrants and cutting government spending. "Another productive day for the transition team," Musk wrote on Monday evening in response to Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, one of two advisers leading the transition.
Musk has also shared photos of Mar-a-Lago, including photos of him and the Trump extended family. On Sunday, Trump's grandson Kai Trump posted a photo of himself with Musk on X and wrote that Musk was "gaining uncle status."
Musk has been involved in several sensitive discussions before he took up his government position, including a brief call last week with Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Another person said Musk has "opinions on everything" and expresses them very forcefully, which has begun to annoy people inside Trump's circle.
"He wants people to feel like he has a say in everything (even if that's not the case)."
Some Trump advisers are concerned that Musk doesn't understand that a key to playing in Trump's world is to keep a low profile, and that Musk's involvement is too aggressive and could damage his position in the long run, according to people familiar with the matter. A second source also said Musk seemed to be pushing his own agenda rather than focusing on Trump's. They said that while Musk is obviously a smart and capable person, the transition team is meant to ensure that people loyal to Trump are involved in implementing government policies. "Getting an appointment because of loyalty to Elon is not going to work," the source said.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump and Vance's transition team, said in a statement: "Elon Musk and President Trump are great friends and talented leaders who are working together to make America great again. Musk is a once-in-a-century business leader, and the federal bureaucracy will surely benefit from his innovative thinking and efficient ideas." Another spokeswoman, Anna Kelly, also said: "Elon Musk is a genius and innovator. He has made history by building creative, modern and efficient systems to contribute to the future of government and make more effective use of American taxpayers' money."
Musk and Trump have had a rocky relationship over the years. Musk said in 2022 that Trump should "hang up his hat and ride off into the sunset," prompting Trump to fire back at the time that Musk would be "worth nothing" without government subsidies. Given the ambitions and personalities of both men, speculation has raged about the long-term viability of the relationship, with many on social media predicting an eventual separation.
Article forwarded from: Jinshi Data
