Elon Musk Just Won Himself a Close-Up Seat in Trump’s White House
The world’s richest man will literally be moving in next door to President-elect Donald Trump.The New York Times is reporting that Elon Musk is preparing to set up the Department of Government Efficiency in the Eisenhower Building, which is less than a five-minute walk from the White House. It’s still unclear if the billionaire will have complete unfettered access to the West Wing (that requires a “special pass”), but at this point it’s obvious that the CEO—who has billions of dollars in federal and international contracts—will be a full-time cast member in Trump’s second term.It’s still unclear what exactly DOGE will look like in D.C., as it is not an official government department and Musk is not a government employee. This would mean Musk and DOGE should be kept out of certain meetings and relationships, especially given the federal contracts Musk’s companies hold. Some Trump transition officials who spoke with the Times suggested that Musk could get an all-access West Wing pass by becoming a “special government employee.” But Trump is also very comfortable blurring those lines, or just erasing them altogether.Musk has been glued to the president-elect since campaign season. He donated millions of dollars to Trump’s campaign and spoke at multiple rallies. Since Trump’s victory, Musk has sat in on multiple calls with Trump and foreign leaders, cyberbullied Speaker Mike Johnson to kill the spending bill, and has even been “renting” a cottage at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where has been constantly parked, aside from Christmas.The close relationship underscores the technocrat’s shift rightward that is just in its early stages.
The world’s richest man will literally be moving in next door to President-elect Donald Trump.
The New York Times is reporting that Elon Musk is preparing to set up the Department of Government Efficiency in the Eisenhower Building, which is less than a five-minute walk from the White House. It’s still unclear if the billionaire will have complete unfettered access to the West Wing (that requires a “special pass”), but at this point it’s obvious that the CEO—who has billions of dollars in federal and international contracts—will be a full-time cast member in Trump’s second term.
It’s still unclear what exactly DOGE will look like in D.C., as it is not an official government department and Musk is not a government employee. This would mean Musk and DOGE should be kept out of certain meetings and relationships, especially given the federal contracts Musk’s companies hold. Some Trump transition officials who spoke with the Times suggested that Musk could get an all-access West Wing pass by becoming a “special government employee.” But Trump is also very comfortable blurring those lines, or just erasing them altogether.
Musk has been glued to the president-elect since campaign season. He donated millions of dollars to Trump’s campaign and spoke at multiple rallies. Since Trump’s victory, Musk has sat in on multiple calls with Trump and foreign leaders, cyberbullied Speaker Mike Johnson to kill the spending bill, and has even been “renting” a cottage at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where has been constantly parked, aside from Christmas.
The close relationship underscores the technocrat’s shift rightward that is just in its early stages.
