Because of Elon Musk’s influence, Donald Trump has joked that he “can’t be gotten rid of.”
On Tuesday, Trump named Musk co-chair of the new Department of Government Efficiency, with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO leading the agency alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. The agency will operate “outside of government,” the president-elect said.
And on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged the billionaire’s current good fortune during a meeting with Republican leaders in Washington, D.C.
“Elon doesn’t want to go home. I can’t get rid of him, at least not until I start to like him less,” Trump said at a meeting with House Republicans.
Musk has been a constant presence at Trump’s side as he prepares to take over the White House in January and has poured millions of dollars of his fortune into Trump’s reelection campaign.
Reports indicate that Musk has spent “almost every day” with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He even joined Trump at a golf game with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, 17. The billionaire has also participated in talks with world leaders, including Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Confused and alarmed
Experienced journalist Kara Swisher told CNN on Sunday morning that Trump insiders are confused and alarmed by the extent of Musk’s influence.
“He definitely butts in all the time, that’s his style. So he suddenly shows up there as a guest who doesn’t want to leave. I’ve heard Trump people call me and say, ‘Oh, wow, this is weird.’ And I think, yeah, you’re going to see a lot more of that,” she said.
The billionaire founded the pro-Trump America PAC and even launched a daily lottery last month that awarded $1 million to people who sign a petition supporting First and Second Amendment rights.
