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Former President Trump said billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will likely be too busy to serve in a Cabinet role in a potential Trump White House because of his roles at companies like Tesla, SpaceX and X – but that he could still work as a consultant to his administration.
"Elon and I have a great relationship, he is great, he's a totally unusual character," Trump said in an excerpt of an interview with former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan. "We have to cherish our geniuses, you know we don't have too many of them, right?"
"He's a brilliant guy and what he really would like to do is get involved with cutting some of the fat, and he does know how to do it," the former president said of Musk's recent offer to serve on a government efficiency commission that the two discussed in a conversation on X earlier this month.
"He wants to be involved. Now look, he's running big businesses and all that, so he can't really – I don't think he could be Cabinet. I'd put him in the Cabinet, absolutely, but I don't know how he could do that with all the things he's got going," Trump said.
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Former President Trump said Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk could serve as a White House consultant but would likely be too busy for a Cabinet role. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images | Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
"But he can sort of, as the expression goes, consult with the country and give you some very good ideas," Trump said and suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) could be an area in which Musk's expertise could aid the federal government.
During their conversation on X earlier this month, Musk said it would "be great to just have a government efficiency commission" and added that "I'd be happy to help out on such a commission."
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Musk said he would be interested in serving on a government efficiency commission in a future Trump administration. (Antonio Masiello / Getty Images)
Last week, Trump was asked if he would ask Musk to serve in an advisory role in his administration if he wins the presidential election in November and replied, "I certainly would, if he would do it, I certainly would. He's a brilliant guy."
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX acknowledged Trump's comments in a post on X showing an AI-generated photo of himself leading the fictitious Department of Government Efficiency, writing, "I am willing to serve."
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Trump and Musk recently held a lengthy conversation on X in which the subject of the CEO serving in a future administration was discussed. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via / Getty Images)
Musk publicly endorsed Trump's presidential campaign last month in the immediate aftermath of a failed assassination attempt on the former president at a Pennsylvania rally.
He has also provided funding for a super PAC backing Trump's campaign, though he said in July that his donations are at a "much lower level" than the $45 million a month figure that had surfaced in some reports.Ticker Security Last Change Change % TSLA TESLA INC. 213.21 -7.11 -3.23%
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Musk's various businesses and the demands on his time that they pose were recently raised by some Tesla shareholders as a reason his $56 billion compensation plan shouldn't be reinstated. Shareholders ultimately voted to reinstate the pay package pending a ruling by a Delaware judge.