In Silicon Valley, few dare to stake their reputation and resources like Elon Musk does in wholeheartedly supporting a presidential candidate. Fortunately, in the race for the 47th President of the United States, this guardian minister successfully helped Donald Trump ascend to the presidential 'throne'. On election night, Trump also 'rewarded' him, openly praising and thanking Musk, and reserved a five-minute 'exclusive advertising spot' for SpaceX.
Now, the overall situation of the U.S. election has been determined, but as the number one contributor, why is Musk so eager to push Trump into office? What benefits will he gain from this electoral battle? Will Trump's presidency really grant Musk a 'get out of jail free' card? After the clamor, we may be able to calmly observe how this Silicon Valley superstar strategically laid out his plans, fully invested, and cautiously wrapped up in the most frenzied electoral investment. This election also allowed us to see Musk's sensitive investment instincts and precise judgment capabilities across various fields such as politics, economics, and society. Musk exchanged a political gamble for a 12-year golden period of development for his business empire.
Musk, caught in a dilemma, urgently needs a new president. In the latest Forbes Global Billionaires list for 2024, Musk firmly holds the second position globally and first in the U.S. with a fortune of $195 billion. The composition of this American billionaire's wealth mainly consists of two parts: company shares + cash and other assets. Among them, the valuation of company shares is the most critical component of Musk's wealth, currently including the autonomous driving company Tesla, the commercial space company SpaceX, the social media platform X, the brain-computer interface company Neuralink, and the tunnel company The Boring Company.
It seems that with numerous leading companies in various sectors, Musk should be worry-free. However, a careful review of the latest situations of his major companies over the past year reveals that several of them have encountered developmental bottlenecks, with core business growth slowing, and innovative projects stalled or delayed. The resolution of some key company issues inevitably circles back to the U.S. government.
1. Tesla's Autonomous Driving Cars: Safety Regulations May Be Eased, Accelerating Robotaxi Commercialization The first key player is Tesla. As the once leading figure in autonomous driving, Tesla has been investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to autonomous driving and fully autonomous driving features, involving 11 accidents and 765,000 vehicles. Additionally, Tesla has been embroiled in union struggles initiated by the National Labor Relations Board and disputes related to racial discrimination initiated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It is evident that Tesla has been under high scrutiny from the U.S. government, with multi-faceted oversight of its development. Furthermore, the Biden administration has seldom provided support to Tesla; it is neither on the difficult-to-support list for U.S. new energy subsidy policies nor invited to the U.S. Electric Vehicle Summit held at the White House. This indicates the strained relationship between Musk and the U.S. government. On the other hand, whether for Tesla's autonomous driving business or its recently launched Robotaxi, further expansion relies heavily on support from the U.S. government.
2. Commercial Space Company SpaceX: Trump's Support for Mars Colonization Plans, Accelerating Starlink Business Expansion The commercial space company SpaceX is also facing strict regulatory challenges from the government. The U.S. Department of Justice is suing SpaceX, accusing it of discriminating against refugees during hiring; a regional office of the National Labor Relations Board has complained that it illegally fired eight employees; the Federal Aviation Administration is imposing a civil penalty of $633,009 on SpaceX; and the Federal Communications Commission voted against including SpaceX's Starlink in the rural broadband plan and providing funding support... 'They took away all the contracts they could get,' Musk angrily mentioned in an interview. It is clear that SpaceX's current business growth relies on the easing of regulations by the U.S. government, especially the multi-state pilot programs for Starlink to expand service coverage. In terms of space exploration, Musk has always had a 'Mars dream,' which requires strengthened cooperation with the U.S. government. He once stated in an interview that his dream of Mars colonization could only be realized under Trump's administration. Trump also responded positively: 'I hope he can send rockets to Mars; he promised to land on Mars before my term ends.'
