Donald Trump’s return to the White House may also prove to be a victory for one of his most high-profile supporters: Elon Musk.
As the rewards come, the world’s richest man spent election night with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
“Tonight, the American people gave @realDonaldTrump a clear mandate for change,” Musk wrote on social media platform X as Trump’s victory began to look all but certain.
During his victory speech at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Trump spent several minutes praising Musk and recounting the successful landing of a rocket built by Musk’s company SpaceX.
Musk almost immediately expressed support for the Republican after the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania July.
One of the president-elect’s most important supporters, the tech billionaire has donated more than $119m (£92m) to fund super PACs aimed at re-electing Trump.
He also launched a get-out-the-vote campaign in battleground states in the final weeks before Election Day, including giving away $1 million a day to voters in those states. However, the giveaway became the subject of a legal challenge A judge later ruled they could proceed.
After endorsing Trump with his name, money and platform, Musk has much to gain from Trump’s re-election.
The president-elect said that during his second term, he would invite Musk to join the administration to eliminate government waste.
Musk calls the potential effort the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the name of a meme and cryptocurrency he popularized.
The businessman could also benefit from a Trump presidency through his ownership of SpaceX, which already dominates the business of launching government satellites into space.
With a close ally in the White House, Musk can seek to further leverage those government relationships.
Musk has criticized the structure of government contracts at rivals including Boeing, which he says hinders completing projects on time and on budget.
Just as the Pentagon and U.S. spy agencies appear ready to invest billions of dollars, SpaceX is starting to build spy satellites.
Meanwhile, Musk’s electric carmaker Tesla could benefit from an administration with what Trump calls “the lowest regulatory burden.”
Just last month, the U.S. agency responsible for regulating road safety revealed that Explore Tesla’s Autopilot Software System.
Musk has also been criticized for allegedly trying to prevent Tesla workers from joining a union. The UAW filed unfair labor practice charges against Trump and Musk after they discussed Musk’s firing of striking workers on X.
Trump also promised to lower taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
This is another promise Musk hopes he can keep.
