On August 19, Eastern Time, former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced that if he wins the election in November, he will consider inviting Tesla CEO Elon Musk to serve as a cabinet member or adviser.
If Trump is a political maverick, then Musk is a technological one. It seems there is a mutual admiration between the two, with each supporting and praising the other. But is this close relationship a case of mutual accomplishment or individual benefit?
On July 13, during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Trump faced criticism, and Musk promptly voiced his support and expressed his willingness to donate to the Super Political Action Committee supporting Trump. Musk also announced on social media platform X that he would fully support Trump and hoped Trump could quickly regain his momentum.
Trump expressed his gratitude for Musk’s support. On July 20, during a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump stated, "I like Elon Musk a lot. He supported me a few days ago, and he’s amazing. Three years ago, I saw the rockets land; if the government were in charge, we might still be waiting 50 to 100 years."
Musk has also publicly praised Trump. On July 22, he commented on the possibility of Biden withdrawing from the race, saying, "The real power is abandoning the old puppets and turning to new ones who are easier to deceive. They fear Trump because he is not a puppet."
On August 13, Musk and Trump had a live conversation on the X platform, attracting over a million viewers. During the conversation, Musk called for the establishment of a government committee to ensure effective use of tax revenues and expressed his willingness to help reduce federal spending during Trump’s second term, a proposal that received Trump's praise.
The interactions between these two 'mavericks' have sparked widespread attention, raising questions about whether their relationship is based on genuine cooperation or mutual exploitation.
