News sources have indicated that if Donald Trump regains the White House in the November US election, he may consider hiring billionaire Elon Musk as a policy advisor.
However, insiders also added that Musk’s specific role is yet to be determined and may not materialize. Nonetheless, Musk has engaged in multiple discussions with Trump on issues such as the US border, immigration, and economic policies.
On Wednesday, May 29th, The Wall Street Journal cited several insiders saying that Musk and Trump have been having phone calls several times a month since March this year.
Sources revealed that Musk and Trump established contact at billionaire Nelson Peltz’s estate in March this year. Since then, they have discussed various policy issues including immigration and the economy.
In recent months, Musk has been outspoken about immigration issues and criticized the Democratic Party for being too lenient on illegal immigration.
The report also mentioned that Musk has informed Trump of his plans to leverage his influence to persuade American business leaders not to support Democratic presidential candidate Biden’s reelection bid.
Musk is also considering funding a “data-driven project to prevent election fraud”.
Both Trump and Musk have not immediately responded to the report. Representatives from Biden’s campaign team also didn’t respond to media requests for comments.
In March this year, after meeting with Trump in Florida, Musk stated that he would not donate to Trump or Biden. However, The Wall Street Journal quoted a source familiar with Musk’s thinking stating that Musk’s goal is to “use his influence… to help Trump defeat Biden by inspiring the support of influential allies”.
In recent years, Musk has started to fully support the Republican Party.
In March this year, Musk posted on Twitter saying: “A few years ago, I was one hundred percent supporting the Democratic Party. Now, I believe we need a red wave, or else America’s screwed.” In the US, red represents the Republican Party, while blue represents the Democratic Party.
Musk has also publicly criticized Biden’s policies on immigration, electric vehicles, and tariffs.
In fact, there has been a growing trend among Silicon Valley tech billionaires to shift their political stance, making progress for Republicans within the primarily Democratic donor community in the tech industry.
Next month, two prominent tech investors will host a fundraising event for Trump in San Francisco.
According to invitations obtained by Reuters, the dinner meeting with Trump on June 6th will be hosted by venture capitalist David Sacks, Chamath Palihapitiya, and Sacks’ wife Jacqueline.
Sacks and Palihapitiya co-host the “All-In” podcast, where they discuss many insider topics of the tech industry, making them popular figures.
In recent years, these podcast hosts have expressed more conservative viewpoints and criticized the increasingly liberal Silicon Valley culture. Sacks is a close friend of Musk. Sacks has expressed his desire to invite Trump on the show.
Tickets for the All-In fundraising event start at a minimum of $50,000 per seat, while becoming a member of the organizing committee costs $300,000 per person or $500,000 per couple. This will allow for priority seating at the dinner and a photo opportunity with Trump.
These signs indicate that Trump is attempting to expand his alliances and seek new fundraising sources. While Silicon Valley has long been considered a liberal stronghold, its internal culture may be undergoing a transformation.