The Man Behind Mar-a-Lago: Elon Musk and the Silicon Valley Force Behind Trump's New Regime

The Man Behind Mar-a-Lago: Elon Musk and the Silicon Valley Force Behind Trump's New RegimeAlmost every meeting held at Mar-a-Lago has been attended by a man who has neither been elected nor appointed - Elon Musk. A few months ago, there was little to no connection between the two, but now, as power shifts in Washington, Musk has quietly risen to an unofficial but immensely influential position, becoming the most powerful private citizen in America

The Man Behind Mar-a-Lago: Elon Musk and the Silicon Valley Force Behind Trump's New Regime

Almost every meeting held at Mar-a-Lago has been attended by a man who has neither been elected nor appointed - Elon Musk. A few months ago, there was little to no connection between the two, but now, as power shifts in Washington, Musk has quietly risen to an unofficial but immensely influential position, becoming the most powerful private citizen in America.

Musk has been involved in nearly every interview with the Trump team, cultivated close ties with the Trump family, and even pushed his Silicon Valley friends to take prominent positions in the incoming administration. On Tuesday, Trump announced that Musk would help lead what he called a "Government Efficiency Department," a new organization aimed at "eliminating government bureaucracy." But Musk's actual influence on the Trump transition is far greater than this position suggests.

Musk has been given a near-legendary status within Trump's inner circle. At a recent event at Mar-a-Lago, Musk arrived at the dining room about half an hour late, yet he was still greeted with a standing ovation. Musk has been spending almost a week at Mar-a-Lago with his 4-year-old son X, not only participating in various interviews but also attending almost all of Trump's meetings and meals. He briefly returned to Austin, Texas, where he owns a $35 million mansion. He returned to Mar-a-Lago on Friday and dined with Trump in the restaurant and on the patio, strolled through the gift shop, and spent some time on the golf course.

"I'm excited to be the first partner!" he replied to a fan's comment on social media over the weekend. Musk has been publicly active during the first week of the presidential transition. He endorsed Florida Senator Rick Scott to be the next Senate Majority Leader, urged Republican Senators to approve Trump's recess appointments, and suggested that all government employees submit "weekly achievement reports." He also advocated for closing the Department of Education, actively solicited ideas for new posts within the Trump administration, and questioned whether Canada was "dying" in a series of social media bursts punctuated by Trump-related memes.

Behind the scenes, Musk's actions have been more active than some of his allies predicted. In the eyes of some Trump aides, his role has even surpassed that of Howard Lutnick and Linda E. McMahon, the officially appointed transition team leaders. Musk has not only listened in on calls between Trump and foreign leaders such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but he is also planning to meet with Argentinian President Javier Milei during his visit to Mar-a-Lago. Sources say Musk has also attended at least one national security meeting with Trump's senior advisors Stephen Miller and Donald Trump Jr.

According to someone close to Trump, Musk is expected to accompany Trump to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to meet with House Republicans. The source said Musk will fly to Washington on Trump's private plane. Musk is reportedly not actively recommending new people but is primarily assessing candidates the Trump transition team is already considering. Musk has voiced support for Trump's decision not to give Mike Pompeo or Nikki Haley senior national security roles. Although he raised concerns about New York Representative Elise Stefanik becoming the US Ambassador to the United Nations, his suggestion was not adopted.

Musk is on good terms with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who is seen as a strong contender to become the next chairman of the agency. He has reportedly expressed his support for Carr in recent private conversations at Mar-a-Lago. Trump spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said Musk and Trump are "great friends and great leaders working together to Make America Great Again."

On a personal level, Trump seems to be very fond of Musk and considers him almost a member of the family. Trump's youngest daughter Tiffany Trump shared a family photo on social media that included grandchildren, taken at Mar-a-Lago. Tiffany captioned it "So proud of you Dad!" Notably, in the photo, Musk is standing with his son X in his arms. A video circulating online captured a heartwarming moment where Trump said to Musk, "Elon, come get a picture with your son! We gotta get Elon and his son - his handsome, perfect son - in the picture." And on Sunday, Trump's eldest grandson Kai Trump expressed this sentiment more directly through a photo of himself on the golf course: "Elon is basically our uncle now."

Musk's world-class influence at Mar-a-Lago comes with a small entourage, consisting of his son X, a nanny, and a few security personnel. However, his rise to political prominence marks a significant increase in the influence of the close-knit Silicon Valley circle that surrounds him within the emerging Republican government. Over the past year, Trump has won over the support of the technology right by taking a tech-friendly stance on issues like cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and antitrust legislation for big tech companies. However, his vice president-elect, Ohio Senator JD Vance, is a supporter of Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, who is criticized by some conservatives, including Musk.

Musk has explicitly stated that he is recruiting an "elite team" from the private sector to help reform the government, ensuring that "those who have a rabid shrink-the-government attitude are part of this administration." But how these tech executives and Musk himself will avoid conflicts of interest while working with the government remains unclear.

Musk has reportedly recommended two SpaceX executives - retired Air Force General Terrence J. O'shaughnessy and government affairs executive Tim Hughes - for administration positions. Further, Musk has helped other friends and colleagues enter politics or at least paved the way for them to exert influence.

Sources say tech investor Joe Lonsdale, who is close to Musk, is not planning to take an official role in Trump's transition team. He has publicly stated that he has no intention of joining the Trump administration "full time" and would rather be a part-time advisor. Another close friend of Musk's, Ken Howery, served as the US ambassador to Sweden during Trump's first term and has expressed interest in another diplomatic position. Another figure who might have some influence is prominent tech investor Marc Andreessen, who spent Election Night with Musk and Howery at Mar-a-Lago.

Musk has not only become more active on the political stage but has also encouraged Palmer Luckey, co-founder of military technology startup Anduril, to contribute to the government. He said on social media that it is "crucial" for entrepreneurial companies like Luckey's to be involved. In an interview, Luckey revealed that he has discussed ways to provide assistance with Trump's transition team.

Among Musk's friends, David Sacks seems to have the most direct influence on Musk at this moment. Sacks worked with Musk at PayPal and hosted a fundraiser for Trump in San Francisco in June, which earned him direct phone contact with the president-elect. On Election Night, Sacks was photographed with Musk and Trump and spent most of the night by the candidate's side. He has also publicly called for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take a role in the government. As a venture capitalist, Sacks has told friends since the election that he is unlikely to take on a more formal role in government, citing his leadership of an active fund. However, similar to Musk, Sacks helped prevent neo-conservatives like Pompeo from securing government positions.

Replicating Peter Thiel's Bet

In a way, Musk seems to be replicating and expanding the role Peter Thiel played in Trump's transition team in 2016. Thiel, another Silicon Valley billionaire, officially served as a member of Trump's transition team in 2016. Although Thiel later had some differences with Trump, he continued to recommend suitable candidates to the transition team. Some individuals associated with Thiel have also played a role in this transition.

Sources reveal, ...