Elon Musk could become policy adviser if Trump wins election: WSJ

WASHINGTON – Donald Trump is considering tapping billionaire Elon Musk as a policy adviser if the Republican presidential candidate reclaims the White House in November’s election, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on May 29, citing people familiar with the talks.

The two have discussed ways for Mr Musk, who runs social media platform X, SpaceX and Tesla, to have “formal input and influence” over economic and border security policies, according to WSJ.

WSJ also said Mr Musk informed Trump about his ongoing influence campaign aimed at convincing powerful US business leaders not to support Democratic President Joe Biden, who beat Trump in the 2020 election and is seeking a second term.

Those talks, which included billionaire investor Nelson Peltz, included discussions about funding a “data-driven project to prevent voter fraud”, the outlet said, adding that no further details were known.

Representatives for Trump and Mr Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Biden campaign representatives also did not immediately respond.

Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes told WSJ that only Trump will decide “what role an individual plays in his presidency”.

WSJ said Mr Musk did not respond to its requests for comment.

In March, following a meeting with Trump in Florida, Mr Musk – one of the world’s wealthiest people – said he would not donate money to Trump or Mr Biden.

Instead, he aims “to use his clout... to help defeat Mr Biden by galvanising the support of influential allies”, said WSJ, citing a person familiar with his thinking.

Mr Musk has in recent years more fully embraced the Republican Party.

Mr Musk has said, without evidence, that Mr Biden is intentionally allowing migrants to cross the US-Mexico border. He has also endorsed anti-Semitic comments on X, although he has denied being anti-Semitic.

While he has publicly criticised Mr Biden’s

policies on immigration, electric vehicles and tariffs, he has not made any formal endorsement in November’s contest and Trump has said he does not know if he has the billionaire’s support.

Mr Musk’s views have hurt his standing among some consumers, according to a CivicScience survey shown exclusively to Reuters.

Trump, a prolific user of Twitter, now X, before he was banned from the social media site following the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, launched his rival Truth Social platform, owned by Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. REUTERS