Tesla CEO Elon Musk has expressed his willingness to join the administration of former President Donald Trump, should Trump win the upcoming November election. Trump revealed on Monday in an interview with Reuters that he would consider appointing Musk to a Cabinet position, describing him as a “very smart guy” and a “brilliant” individual.
Musk, who owns the social media platform X, responded swiftly on social media, stating he was “willing to serve” in the Trump administration. This announcement follows a two-hour discussion last week between Trump and Musk on X, during which the tech billionaire reportedly expressed interest in participating in a government commission focused on addressing the national debt and revising Congressional spending.
During the Reuters interview, Trump hinted at potentially reversing the $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle (EV) purchases, a policy championed by the Biden administration as part of its climate agenda. While President, Trump sought to repeal this credit, which was later expanded by President Biden in 2022 to further encourage the adoption of EVs. Despite this, Musk has publicly endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential race, even after an assassination attempt on the former president last month.
Trump has been vocal about his mixed views on electric vehicles. While acknowledging his support for EVs, he also expressed his preference for gasoline-propelled cars and hybrids, leaving the door open to future developments in the automotive industry. Trump emphasized his intention to rescind Biden administration regulations that push automakers to produce more EVs and plug-in hybrids to meet stricter emissions standards, arguing that the market for EVs is limited due to high costs and battery range issues.
In addition to his stance on EVs, Trump outlined plans to discourage vehicle exports from Mexico to the U.S. by imposing tariffs, aiming to encourage automakers to produce cars domestically. He also indicated openness to foreign automakers, including Chinese companies, building plants in the U.S. as long as they hire American workers.
