What Musk Could Gain from Trump

Elon Musk may push a second Trump administration for policies that benefit his businesses, or suit his ideology.Credit…Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

How Musk could influence Trump’s policies

Elon Musk has given Donald Trump his endorsement, and perhaps soon, millions of dollars to help his re-election campaign. A big question now is what Musk would most likely push for if the former president prevails in November.

DealBook spoke with Musk watchers to figure out how the Tesla and SpaceX chief could influence a potential second Trump administration. The short of it: Much of the policies he wants would benefit his companies, but some would just line up with his ideology.

The context: Musk is gaining sway over the former president. Beyond the money he could pump into a pro-Trump super PAC, the billionaire tech mogul is also offering his views on policies including business oversight and immigration.

The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Trumpdiscussed offering Musk an advisory role if he is re-elected.

Tech giants could face more heat, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence. Musk has spoken often about his fears that the technology could threaten humanity, and sued OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of prioritizing profits over safety.

While some tech moguls backing Trump argue that President Biden is going too far in regulating A.I., Musk has called for more guardrails. Those may benefit upstarts like his xAI, but Musk also appears to genuinely believe in the dangers of unfettered A.I. advancement.