DONALD Trump and Elon Musk’s relationship may be an alliance of convenience, but it will last for the duration of the administration, a Republican strategist has told The U.S. Sun.
John Thomas believes the SpaceX and Tesla mogul had nothing to lose by backing the former president because they share a united vision of how the government can be made more efficient.
Trump appointed Musk as the leader of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, which will make policy recommendations to the president.
Trump nominated Musk months after the Tesla boss sported a black MAGA hat and appeared at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last summer.
Musk turned into a Trump cheerleader just years after calling him to ride off into the political sunset.
The entrepreneur initially supported Ron DeSantis for president and hosted the Florida governor’s campaign launch on Twitter Spaces.
Despite Musk eventually falling behind Trump, it doesn’t mean the president-elect is reliant on Musk’s support, according to Thomas, the co-founder of the political consultancy firm Nestpoint Associates.
And he believes their partnership will last the term.
“Right now, it is an alliance of convenience,” he added.
“I imagine it will stay that way because their priorities are so closely aligned.”
Thomas does, however, believe that there could be moments where the relationships “ebbs and flows.”
And, despite the billionaire’s wealth, he knows Trump is “king” for the next four years at least.
“The two men do believe in putting America first,” Thomas said.
“Musk is so inextricably linked to the American economy, and he cannot do it with the support of President Trump.
“The incentives for Musk are great and I think both men’s hearts are in very similar places with the direction and vision for the country.”
Musk and Trump want to cut government waste, but their interests differ when it comes to China.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk's complicated relationship
Former president Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk's relationship started rocky, but the pair have since reconciled, with Musk fully endorsing Trump and interviewing him on X Spaces on August 12.
In 2022, Elon Musk and Donald Trump publicly feuded on X, then still known as Twitter.
Trump called Musk a liar and “bulls**t artist” during a rally in Alaska.
“Elon is not going to buy Twitter,” Trump said at the time.
“You know, he said the other day, ‘I’ve never voted for a Republican.’ I said, ‘I didn’t know that – you told me you voted for me. So he’s another bulls**t artist, but he’s not going to be buying it.”
In response to Trump’s critiques, the SpaceX founder clapped back.
“I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset,” Musk posted.
Musk also went on to buy X months later.
The X owner said he had previously voted mostly for Democrats since becoming a United States citizen in 2002.
Musk initially backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.
“My preference for the 2024 presidency is someone sensible and centrist,” Musk wrote on X in 2022.
“I had hoped that would [be] the case for the Biden administration, but have been disappointed so far.”
His shift in political parties might be attributed to his plummeting relationship with President Joe Biden who didn’t invite Musk to the 2021 White House electric vehicle summit.
Despite their past issues, Trump and Musk’s relationship took a turn in March after they met at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump was also previously against electric vehicles but has since changed his stance.
“I’m for electric cars,” he said at a rally earlier this month.
“I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice.”
Following the assassination attempt at Trump’s rally in July, Musk announced his support for the former president.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote on X after the shooting.
During a recent press conference, Trump spoke highly of Musk.
“I respect Elon a lot. He respects me,” he said.
“Elon, more than almost anybody I know, he loves this country. He loves the concept of this country, but like me, he says this country is in big trouble, it’s in tremendous danger.”
Musk has been pictured at events at Mar-a-Lago and the UFC, buddying up with Trump.
Trump selected Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency – a taskforce aimed at cutting bureaucracy.
Musk will head up DOGE alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Still, Thomas believes their disagreements could actually help America gain an advantage over Beijing.
TRADE WAR FEARS
Fears of a trade war between China and the US are on the rise – particularly after Trump’s victory.
John Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser in his first administration, previously told The U.S. Sun how those fears could materialize.
Bolton explained how Trump believes China cost him the 2020 election because of Covid, which could prompt the tycoon to take revenge.
A trade war with China dominated Trump’s first term as both powers slapped tariffs on each other.
The tycoon believed he was protecting domestic industry by targeting imports from Beijing.
That was before Beijing responded and whacked tariffs on American goods.
While on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canadian imports and an additional 10% tariff on all imports from Beijing.
But Musk has interests in both camps.
This is because one of Tesla’s gigafactories is located in Shanghai.
In 2017, laws were passed that allow foreign companies to run their own factories rather than the state’s.
Thomas believes Trump will not shift his approach because of Musk’s economic interests in China.
“Trump is not going to abandon that simply because Musk says ‘can you go softer on China?’” he added.
“Perhaps Musk, because he’s so entrenched in the Chinese economy, can serve as a bit of a bridge to come up with a compromise and win for the United States.
“He could credibly say ‘This is what you need to do to put America first and President Trump will consider.
“In a weird way, Musk’s conflict might actually aid America and President Trump in forcing China to slightly bend the knee.”
Musk has become a MAGA convert in recent months, but Thomas believes the billionaire has little to lose backing Trump.
Right now, it is an alliance of convenience
John ThomasGOP strategistMusk has been probed on a federal level over his $44 billion purchase of X, formerly Twitter.
In September, bosses at the Securities and Exchange Commission said they were looking into sanctioning the Tesla chief because he didn’t show up to a hearing.
They also sued him for not disclosing ownership of his Twitter stock before his takeover.
It’s not clear whether the probe will continue beyond January 20 or whether it’ll be dropped.
“The investigations into Musk were not only draining him of resources, which was not the issue, they were draining him of time,” Thomas said.
“Time is Musk’s most precious resource. So for him, if Harris won, life wasn’t going to get much worse than it already was.
“They already had a target on his back.
“It was a big bet, but being so prominently supportive of President Trump obviously has curried significant favor and undoubtedly will greatly benefit Musk professionally and personally.”
GettyTrump’s first term was characterized by a trade war with China[/caption] GettyJohn Thomas believes Musk could be an important player in any disputes between Beijing and Washington[/caption] Read More Details
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