Trump says he wants Musk and his companies to thrive in US
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Mr Musk (left) spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help Mr Trump win November’s presidential election.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on July 24 he would not destroy Mr Elon Musk’s companies by taking away federal subsidies and said he wants the billionaire entrepreneur’s businesses to thrive.
“Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the US Government. This is not so!,” Mr Trump said in a social media post.
“I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE.”
Mr Trump’s statement follows a public clash with his former close ally on June 5 over his tax Bill.
Mr Musk’s warned Tesla investors on July 23 that US government cuts in support for electric vehicle makers could lead to a “few rough quarters” for the company.
A week after the spat in June, Reuters reported that the White House had directed the Defence Department and Nasa to gather details on billions of dollars in SpaceX contracts to ready possible retaliation against the businessman and his companies.
Mr Musk spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars
The Tesla CEO left the administration in late May to refocus on his tech empire.
Mr Trump and Mr Musk fell out shortly afterwards when Mr Musk openly denounced
Mr Musk’s SpaceX had been considered a frontrunner to build out Mr Trump’s US$175 billion (S$223.54 billion) Golden Dome missile defence shield, and remains a natural choice for key elements of the project.
But sources familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this week that the administration is expanding its search for partners to build Golden Dome as tensions with Mr Musk threaten SpaceX’s dominance in the programme. REUTERS
