Elon Musk strongly influences Trump team appointments - CNN

As noted by CNN, Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence has been filled over the past 48 hours with two types of people: those seeking jobs in the upcoming administration of the president-elect, and those attempting to influence him to appoint their preferred candidates to key positions.

However, according to multiple sources, the one person who stands out above all and wields considerable influence is Musk. The billionaire has been seen at the Palm Beach resort almost daily since Trump’s election victory last week, dining with him on the terrace in the evenings and mingling with his family on the golf course.

Musk has been present during Trump’s calls with several world leaders and has been involved in personnel decisions. The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has even made clear which appointments he favors.

Musk was with Trump at Mar-a-Lago when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called to congratulate the president-elect the day after the election. Trump put the call on speakerphone, and Zelenskyy thanked Musk for his help in providing connectivity to Ukraine through the billionaire’s Starlink internet service.

On Sunday, Musk entered the Republican Party’s leadership battle for the Senate by endorsing Senator Rick Scott after the Florida Republican quickly backed Trump’s demand that any contender for Senate leadership support the appointment of his candidates during recesses — a tactic presidents use to bypass the Senate, where Democrats could block nominees.

Musk is close not only with Trump but also with his transition team co-chair, Howard Lutnick — a billionaire and CEO of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald, who is overseeing personnel selection for the transition.

Sources report that Trump is captivated by Musk. "We have to protect our geniuses, we don’t have that many of them," the president-elect declared in his victory speech after the election.

While Musk is not expected to formally take a role in Trump’s administration, he doesn't need to, one source noted, explaining that the owner of X wields just as much influence from the outside.

Although Trump and Musk have publicly suggested that the latter head a commission on government efficiency to reduce federal spending, CNN reported that Musk is unlikely to accept a permanent government position, given the implications it would have for his roles in the companies he runs.

Profitable investment

As of mid-October, Musk had donated nearly $119 million to a political action committee he set up to support Trump, according to Federal Election Commission filings. He has also appeared with Trump at rallies and conducted a friendly interview with him on his X platform.

Musk’s hefty wager on Trump has yielded almost immediate returns. The day after the election, investors drove Tesla’s stock up nearly 15%. This surge increased the value of the 411 million Tesla shares Musk directly owns by over $15 billion.

Read more about who may take roles in the Trump administration in RBC-Ukraine’s report.