Elon Musk was one of Donald Trump’s most high-profile backers.Credit:nna\sswain
The callout was the reward for Muskdonating huge sums to the Republican’s campaign,for planting himself in Pennsylvania to run a get-out-the-vote operation,and for ceaselessly promoting Trump to his 203 million followers on the social network now known as X.
He also helped to secure the endorsement of podcasting star Joe Rogan,who said he had been influenced by “the great and powerful Elon Musk”.
Musk spent more than $US130 million ($197.3 million) to support Trump and other Republicans,although it is already an investment that has repaid itself several times over. Tesla’s shares added 14.8 per cent on Wall Street,adding more than $US15 billion ($22.8 billion) to Musk’s $US264 billion fortune.
Already the world’s richest person,Trump’s victory now raises the prospect of Musk having substantial influence in the White House. Having been born in South Africa,this is about as close as he can get to the presidency.
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He has mulled plans for a “Department of Government Efficiency” and said US government spending should be slashed by trillions. On Wednesday morning,Musk tweeted a meme of himself standing in the Oval Office holding a sink – a reference to his tweet the first day after he bought Twitter,an event that was followed by him cutting around 80 per cent of the company’s staff.
Muskonomics may clash with Trump’s own agenda,which cares little for fiscal discipline. The Tesla tycoon has told voters to be prepared for “temporary hardship”,not a message that Trump wished to promote to an inflation-weary electorate.