When Donald Trump took his legendary victory photo the night after his election triumph, one notable figure was missing: Melania Trump was absent from the family picture.
Trump was surrounded by his entire family—his towering son Barron by his side, Tiffany Trump and her husband, Eric and Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and her spouse Jared Kushner (who had no part in the campaign), as well as five grandchildren were all included in the tableau.
But where was Melania? Sources say the former First Lady is angry and deeply frustrated by the prospect of Donald serving another four years, which would mean moving back to the White House. According to the source, “Melania does not want to move to the White House and does not want to be part of this ‘political martyrdom,’ as she calls it.”
Instead of Melania, the Trump family welcomed a surprising new figure into the historic family photo: Elon Musk, accompanied by his two-year-old son, X AE A-12. Musk’s presence in the family shot demonstrates his powerful influence as a key ally. Musk, who donated $118 million to Trump’s campaign and personally advocated for his re-election, has become one of Trump’s most valuable advisers and friends.
Musk stands to gain financially from Trump’s victory. His net worth soared by $26 billion on the day after the election, bringing his total wealth to $290 billion. Thanks to his close connection with Trump, Musk’s net worth and governmental influence are expected to grow significantly.
Musk’s government connections will particularly benefit his space venture, SpaceX, which already holds $15 billion in government contracts. Experts predict that with Trump’s support for space exploration, government funding for Musk’s space initiatives could exceed $200 billion—a tenfold increase—particularly for projects like space shuttles to Mars.
Additionally, his internet service Starlink is poised to profit from Trump’s planned $42 billion internet expansion initiative in his first year.
Tesla is also expected to double its value under President Trump, especially if the U.S. imposes a 60% tax on Chinese EV imports, effectively granting Musk near-monopoly status for electric vehicles in the U.S. Tesla shares already surged 15% on Wednesday, adding $28 billion to Musk’s fortune in a single day—a remarkable return on his $118 million investment in the Trump campaign.