Elon Musk appears to have settled into his new role as the unofficial “First Lady” of the incoming Donald Trump administration. Despite having no political experience, Musk made his public debut by joining Trump on a phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Earlier, the Tesla owner was seen celebrating Trump’s victory at Mar-a-Lago, and now CNN’s Ana Navarro is raising eyebrows at the increased influence he seems to be exerting and his involvement in Trump’s decision-making now that he has officially entered office. Family photo.
Will Elon Musk take Melania’s place?
Melania Trump has largely stayed out of the public eye during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, focusing instead on their son Barron and his college journey. However, one person who has remained steadfast in his support is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who endorsed Trump after a failed assassination attempt in July. Since then, Musk has donated millions to political action committees supporting the Republican cause, and has even chaired Trump campaign rallies.
On Friday, Axios reported that CNN panelists discussed Musk’s growing influence, especially after he participated in a call with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
“What do you think about him joining this call?” Anderson Cooper asked Republican strategist Scott Jennings. He replied: “Of course, Donald Trump can put anyone on the phone he wants. “I mean, I suppose a lot of these calls are congratulatory in nature.” Jennings suggested that Trump’s win means he can surround himself with any advisors he chooses, including Elon Musk, so it’s not surprising or troubling that Musk would engage in political advocacy.
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However, political commentator Ana Navarro expressed concern about Musk’s increased presence, calling it “weird” that he was in a family photo with Trump on election night while Melania was absent. I think it’s a bit strange, isn’t it? “I mean, Elon Musk seems to be everywhere at all times,” she said. “He’s like the secretary of everything, and at the same time, he’s like the first lady.”
She added: “That day I saw this picture of him.” It was a photo of Trump with his entire family except Melania, but Elon Musk was there. And now you hear about this. Obviously there is also a conflict of interest. This is someone who has contracts with the Department of Defense. This is someone who has Starlink and this is a big part of what’s happening in Ukraine.
Elon Musk participated in the Trump-Zelensky call
In his first official call since his election victory, President-elect Donald Trump put Ukrainian President Zelensky on the line — and of course Elon Musk was there, too. The MAGA fan who spent a staggering $110 million to support the Trump campaign was apparently physically present during the call, though not quite on the line.
Read also: Elon Musk participated in the Trump-Zelensky call: Ukrainian official
Zelensky thanked him for supporting Starlink online, but of course the real conversation was between Trump and Zelensky, as Axios reported. As usual, Trump bragged about his ability to end the Russian-Ukrainian war within a miraculous 24 hours. Meanwhile, Europe is holding its breath, wondering whether Trump’s version of peace might just involve giving Moscow too much of what it wants.
Russian President Putin praised Trump for his victory, describing his behavior as “correct” and “courageous,” adding that he was “ready” to enter into discussions with the newly elected leader.
