"Thinking He's Trump or Something"... Close Aides Give Musk 'Laser Stare'

"Posing as Joint Presidents?" Discontent Spreads
Trump Shows Full Trust in Musk
Relations Between the Two Expected to Soon Reach a 'Breaking Point'

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has rapidly emerged as a close aide to President-elect Donald Trump, sparking discontent among existing close associates.

On the 13th (local time), foreign media including NBC reported that among Trump’s close aides, the view that "Musk CEO’s behavior has reached a dangerous level" is spreading. Since the election, Musk, who has stayed close to Trump, has frequently overstepped by interfering in the transition team's work, which belongs to the inner circle. One aide, who requested anonymity, said, "Musk acts as if he is a 'co-president' and expects to be treated as such."

President-elect Trump appointed Musk, who made a significant contribution to his presidential victory, as the head of the next administration's "Government Efficiency Department." Musk is said to express his opinions on all issues, in addition to areas such as improving federal government efficiency and budget reduction. AP Yonhap News

President-elect Trump appointed Musk, who greatly contributed to his election victory, as the head of the next administration’s 'Government Efficiency Department.' Musk is expressing his opinions not only on improving federal government efficiency and budget cuts but also on all current issues. Especially considering Musk’s past actions, there are concerns that he will not just express his opinions but also try to change and impose his views on others. In fact, NBC reported that dissatisfaction is already emerging among the close aides who helped Trump’s campaign. According to NBC, the aides said, "Musk CEO has opinions on every issue in the world and wants to be recognized as someone who knows everything." Among them, some aides suspect Musk’s intention is to realize his own plans in the next administration rather than Trump’s campaign promises.

Contrary to the concerns of the aides, President-elect Trump currently places full trust in Musk. According to attendees, Trump highly praised Musk when he met with Republican federal House representatives at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida that day. It was noted that Musk helped with the campaign, putting aside his business management, without expecting any reward. Since the election, Musk CEO is known to spend more time at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence than at his home in Austin, Texas.

Contrary to the concerns of his close aides, President-elect Trump currently places complete trust in Musk. According to attendees, Trump, who met with Republican members of the House of Representatives at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on the same day, highly praised Musk. UPI Yonhap News

Regarding this Musk CEO, Trump’s granddaughter Kai Trump posted a photo and the caption "Uncle Elon" on her X (formerly Twitter) account. In response, President-elect Trump reportedly said, "Musk doesn’t want to go home. I can’t do anything about it." This remark is interpreted as a joking expression of affection from Trump toward Musk. However, some predict that the relationship between Trump and Musk will ultimately end in a breakup. This is because both have distinct personalities and ambitions, making a long-term friendship unlikely. In fact, Musk criticized Trump during the 2016 election, and Trump mocked Musk by saying he is "worthless without government subsidies," indicating their relationship was not always smooth.