- Elon Musk reportedly joined Trump’s calls with two world leaders, including Volodymyr Zelensky.
- It’s an early indicator of how close Musk is to the next president.
- Musk did his best to get Trump elected, and will likely have influence in the administration as a result.
Elon Musk joined President-elect Donald Trump’s calls with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week, according to several reports.
New York Times It was reported on Friday that Trump handed the phone to Musk during a phone call with Zelensky on Wednesday, when the two men were at Mar-a-Lago. Axios It was reported that Musk told the Ukrainian leader that he would continue to support the besieged country via Starlink satellites.
On the same day, Musk was present at a call between Trump and Erdogan, which took place while Trump was “having a family dinner” with the billionaire businessman and his child. Reuters I mentioned.
Musk’s reported presence on the calls highlights how close the tech billionaire is to the next president, who spent more than $119 million to help elect him. In addition to financially supporting his campaign, Musk has joined Trump at rallies and campaign rallies Town halls were held individually.
Throughout the campaign, Musk explained aspects of his government vision. He proposed creating a Department of Government Efficiency — or “DOGE,” named after the cryptocurrency — to review federal spending. Trump said he would put Musk, whom he described as an “incredible guy” in his acceptance speech, in charge of the virtual division.
With his new proximity to the Oval Office, Musk has a lot to gain professionally. In the role he envisions, Musk could oversee some of the agencies that regulate his business, including Tesla and SpaceX. Tech leaders across Silicon Valley also see benefits to Musk’s new connections in Washington, such as the billionaire’s ability to encourage Trump to cut back on regulations.
Spokespeople for Trump and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.