Donald Trump and Elon Musk have been in talks about a possible advisory role for Tesla CEO should the former president win the 2024 election.
While the specifics of Musk's role have not been finalized, discussions have centered on giving Musk an influence over policies related to border security and the economy, according to The Wall Street Journal. These are areas where Musk has increasingly voiced his opinions and concerns.
Musk, who met with Trump in March, reportedly maintains regular contact with the former president, discussing topics ranging from technology and science to immigration.
Owner of the social media platform X, Musk and billionaire investor Nelson Peltz have reportedly briefed Trump on a new "data-driven" project aimed at preventing voter fraud, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The two businessmen have informed Trump about an ongoing campaign among elite circles, which seeks to persuade influential U.S. business leaders to withhold support for President Joe Biden, Trump's main rival in the upcoming election.
A Trump campaign official said that the former president will ultimately decide the roles individuals will play in his potential administration.
"But it has been widely reported, and is demonstrated in a number of ways, that many of the nation's important leaders in technology and innovation are concerned with the damage done to their industry by Biden's failure to handle our economy and his moves to overburden innovators with government bureaucracy and unrelenting regulation," the campaign official added.
Despite his strategic moves to support Trump, Musk has not made any formal endorsement in the November election.
In March, Musk met with Trump in Florida and subsequently said that he would not donate money to either candidates in the upcoming election. Instead, he reportedly aims to leverage his influence to help defeat Biden by galvanizing support from influential allies.
Musk has more fully embraced the Republican Party in recent years, aligning himself with key conservative positions. But Trump himself has expressed uncertainty about whether he has Musk's full support.
Musk has been openly critical of several Biden administration policies, particularly on issues like immigration, electric vehicles, and tariffs.
He has accused Biden, without evidence, of intentionally allowing migrants to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, reflecting a significant point of contention with the current administration.
