Donald Trump traveled to Brownsville, Texas, on Tuesday to observe a test of the Starship rocket developed by one of Elon Musk’s companies. This visit underscores the strengthening relationship between the president-elect and the billionaire entrepreneur.
Since Musk started spending time at Mar-a-Lago following the election, speculation arose regarding whether Trump would eventually tire of Musk’s frequent presence and unsolicited guidance on governance. However, the outing marked a significant display of camaraderie between the two, carrying ramifications that could influence American political dynamics, government operations, foreign relations, and even humanity’s ambitions to reach Mars.
Musk reportedly invested approximately $200 million to ensure Trump’s victory over Democrat Kamala Harris in the recent presidential election, gaining him unique access to Trump. He has advised Trump on potential nominees for the new administration, participated in the president-elect’s discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and has been appointed to co-chair an advisory group aimed at reducing the size of the federal government.
Musk stands to gain from this arrangement as well. His aerospace venture, SpaceX, is backed by billions in government contracts and aims to establish a colony on Mars. Additionally, as CEO of Tesla, a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, Musk has faced regulatory challenges tied to autonomous driving safety.
According to William Galston, a prominent fellow in governance studies, Trump possesses a keen admiration for individuals who break norms successfully, pointing out Musk’s impressive achievements in that regard. Furthermore, Musk controls the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which he has utilized to amplify Trump’s message and policy initiatives. In a recent post, Musk expressed concerns that entrenched interests in Washington are conspiring to undermine Trump prior to his inauguration.
Prior to the election, Musk distanced himself from any notion of seeking favors in exchange for his support of Trump. He clarified in September that there was “no quid pro quo” and expressed hope that a Trump administration would enable significant governmental reforms, alleviating bureaucratic burdens and ushering in new economic opportunities.
In the two weeks following his electoral victory over Harris, Trump has been accompanied by Musk consistently. The two attended a gathering with House Republicans in Washington and were seen together at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in New York, making this trip to Texas the third occasion Trump ventured outside of Florida post-election.
Much of Trump’s recent activities have occurred with limited media access, as he has chosen not to disclose his travel plans or events to journalists—a departure from the practices of previous presidents.
The association between Trump and Musk hasn’t always been so robust. Just two years ago, Trump made jokes about Musk during his campaign speeches, while Musk publicly suggested that Trump should step aside from politics, indicating that he would be too old for the presidency by the end of his potential term.
However, following a failed assassination attempt against Trump in July, Musk swiftly backed the former president and became an influential figure in Trump’s circle, at times surpassing even Ohio Senator JD Vance in prominence. Trump began highlighting Musk’s achievements at rallies, including a well-received demonstration of SpaceX’s reusable rocket system.
On election night, Musk celebrated with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, and his involvement continued as he spent significant time at the resort in the weeks that followed. Trump’s granddaughter even took to social media to share a picture of herself with Musk, humorously noting that he was “achieving uncle status.”
Last week, Musk was recognized at a formal gathering at Mar-a-Lago, seated as a guest of honor, where Trump commended Musk’s exceptional intelligence and described him as “a really good guy.” He reflected on Musk’s recent accomplishments, commenting on Musk’s prioritization of campaigning in Pennsylvania for Trump over the launch of costly rockets.
Trump light-heartedly noted Musk’s frequent visits, saying, “He likes this place. I can’t get him out of here,” before expressing his pleasure in Musk’s continuous presence. In a moment that resonated with the crowd, Musk was invited to address attendees, likening the electoral success to a collaborative effort, further solidifying the perception of their alliance.