Elon Musk to join Donald Trump-led US Cabinet? SpaceX and Tesla CEO says…

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk has emerged as an ardent supporter of Donald Trump in recent months — from attending campaign rallies to donating more than $100 million to Republican causes. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has also teased the possibility of joining the new Cabinet following the inauguration of President Trump on January 6.

Trump had first revealed plans to appoint a “secretary of cost-cutting” during an interview in October. He also insisted that he would defer to Musk when it came to shutting down various agencies and essentially ‘trimming’ the government.

The Tesla CEO had also expressed his willingness to serve after Trump hinted that he would consider Elon Musk for a cabinet role or advisory post.

“I’m going to have Elon Musk — he is dying to do this. You know, he’s a great business guy, actually. You think of him for science and rockets. And every time I think he’s telling me about a new screw that was developed, he’s developed a new screw — screws are difficult — and it’s made out of titanium, and it’s so exciting. But you know what? He’s a great business guy, and he’s a great cost-cutter. You’ve seen that. And he said: I could cut costs without affecting anybody,” Trump told Fox News during an interaction.

Such an appointment would not be without precedent for Trump. The former POTUS has displayed a penchant for drafting high-net-worth individuals from the private sector into official roles. He nominated five people who were predominantly businessmen as Cabinet secretaries during his first term in office — including Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, billionaire philanthropist Betsy DeVos, and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon.

Musk also teased the possibility of a new administrative role in the coming months — posting a barrage of memes as Trump stormed his way to an election victory. He also claimed during a recent Trump election rally that the federal budget could be slashed by “at least” $2 trillion.

“America is a nation of builders. Soon, you will be free to build,” he assured in one social media post following the results.

Another post featured the businessman standing inside the oval office while clutching a bathroom sink: “Let that sink in.”

(With inputs from agencies)