By Theodore Schleifer
In almost every gathering that President-elect Donald Trump conducts at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, he is accompanied by an individual who has not been elected or nominated to any position and, just a few months ago, had little to no significant connection with him.
Elon Musk.
The wealthiest individual on the planet has risen to an exceptionally influential, albeit unofficial, role in Trump’s transition, establishing himself as undeniably America’s most potent private citizen. He has been present for nearly every interview conducted by the Trump team, formed bonds with the Trump family, and is endeavoring to place his associates from Silicon Valley in key positions within the upcoming administration.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that Musk would take a leading role in what he referred to as the Department of Government Efficiency, a new entity aimed at “dismantling government bureaucracy.” Nonetheless, Musk’s actual influence on the Trump transition extends far beyond that role.
He has developed an almost legendary status within Trump’s close circle. One recent evening at Mar-a-Lago, he entered the dining area roughly 30 minutes after the president-elect and received a similar standing ovation, as reported by two witnesses of his arrival.
Musk, often with his 4-year-old son X on his lap, has spent a majority of the past week at Mar-a-Lago, participating in not only interviews but nearly all gatherings and many dining events Trump attended. He made a brief trip back to Austin, Texas, where he owns a $35 million residence, before returning on Friday, spending time in the dining room and on the patio, visiting the gift shop, and enjoying the golf course — all in the company of the president-elect.
“I’m thrilled to be the first buddy!” he responded to a social media follower this weekend.
This article is derived from approximately a dozen interviews with Republican donors, politicians, and Musk’s acquaintances, many of whom requested anonymity to discuss private matters.
Publicly, during just the initial week of the transition, Musk has supported Sen. Rick Scott of Florida as the next Senate majority leader; urged Republican senators to consider recess appointments for Trump; proposed that all government workers should provide a “weekly email of accomplishments”; called for the closure of the Department of Education; sought recommendations for new roles in the administration that he could present to Trump; questioned if Canada was “dying”; and shared numerous Trump-related memes.
In private, Musk’s engagement has been notably more proactive than even some of his associates anticipated. Some Trump aides believe his influence surpasses that of Howard Lutnick and Linda E. McMahon, the two officially designated leaders of the Trump transition.
He has participated in calls with foreign leaders, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and is scheduled to meet this week in person with President Javier Milei of Argentina during Milei’s visit to Mar-a-Lago. Musk has also been present at least once for a national security meeting with Trump alongside key aides like Stephen Miller and Donald Trump Jr., according to an individual informed about the meeting.
Generally, Musk is not proposing new names for specific positions, according to sources acquainted with the situation, typically assessing individuals already under consideration by the Trump transition team.
He has expressed support for Trump’s choices not to appoint Mike Pompeo or Nikki Haley to key national security roles, although he unsuccessfully raised concerns about assigning Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York to a position that would remove her from Congress. (She has been offered the role of United Nations ambassador.)
Musk maintains a favorable relationship with Brendan Carr, the Federal Communications Commission commissioner, who is viewed as a leading candidate for the agency’s next chair. Recently, the billionaire has shown support for Carr in private discussions at Mar-a-Lago.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, remarked to The New York Times that Musk and Trump are “great friends and brilliant leaders working together to Make America Great Again.”
On a personal front, Trump appears to have taken a liking to Musk, almost treating him like a family member. A photo shared on social media by Tiffany Trump, the youngest of Trump’s daughters, featured the entire family, grandchildren included, at Mar-a-Lago with the message “Dad, we are so proud of you!”
Notably, Musk was prominently positioned in the photo, holding his son X.
“Elon, join the picture with your boy,” Trump said to him, as seen in a video released online. “We must capture Elon with his boy — his stunning, perfect boy.”
On Sunday, Trump’s eldest grandchild, Kai Trump, candidly remarked with a photo from the golf course: “Elon achieving uncle status.”
Over the past year, Trump has fostered connections with right-leaning figures in the tech sector as he has embraced technology-friendly stances on cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and antitrust regulations concerning Big Tech. However, concurrently, his vice president-elect, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, has supported Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission and a figure targeted by some conservatives, including Musk.
Musk has indicated that he is assembling an “A team” from the private sector to assist in overhauling the government and that he will guarantee “that maniacally dedicated small-government revolutionaries join this administration.” It remains uncertain how these other tech executives and Musk himself, whose SpaceX has federal contracts, will navigate potential conflicts of interest as they collaborate with the administration.
Musk has recommended two of his colleagues at SpaceX, Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy and Tim Hughes, for roles within the administration, as reported by the Times.
He has also been proposing other friends and associates for positions, or at least primed the pathway for them to gain some influence.
Joe Lonsdale, a tech investor in Musk’s circle, does not intend to take a formal role in the Trump transition, according to an informant, and he has publicly stated he prefers a part-time advisory capacity rather than a “full time” position within the administration.
Another associate of Musk, Ken Howery, previously served as ambassador to Sweden during Trump’s first term and has expressed interest in another diplomatic role. Additionally, Marc Andreessen, a notable tech investor, who spent election night at Mar-a-Lago, could also wield some influence.
Musk has also urged Palmer Luckey, co-founder of the military tech startup Anduril, to assist the administration in some capacity, stating on the social platform X that it is “very important” for “entrepreneurial companies like yours” to become involved. Luckey mentioned in a TV interview that he had discussions with the Trump transition team about how he could contribute.
The friend of Musk’s who currently seems to possess the most direct influence is David Sacks, a former colleague from their PayPal years.
Sacks, who organized a fundraiser for Trump in San Francisco last June, has established a direct communication channel via phone with the president-elect. He took a photo with Musk and Trump on election night and spent a considerable portion of the evening near the candidate; he has been publicly advocating for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to receive a role in the administration.
Sacks, a venture capitalist, has informed friends since Election Day that due to leading an active fund, it wouldn’t be feasible for him to occupy a more official role within the administration. However, like Musk, he opposed the idea of neoconservatives such as Pompeo landing roles in the administration.
Trump’s recess demand is early test of prospects for more radical second term
He did not recognize a significant change in 2019, orchestrated by Senate Republicans and led by Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, then the majority leader, which drastically restricted the ability of opposing lawmakers to stall confirmation votes and utilize extensive Senate floor time. This modified the chamber’s rules for the majority of executive branch appointments, decreasing the debate time lawmakers can use before a final vote on a nominee from 30 to just two hours.
