When President-elect Trump posed for photos with family members after securing a second term on Election Night, Elon Musk was there.
When Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the phone following the election, the Tesla CEO joined the call.
And when Trump met with House Republicans in Washington on Wednesday as they gathered for leadership votes, the Space X founder was seated in the room among lawmakers.
“Elon won’t go home. I can’t get rid of him. Until I don’t like him,” Trump quipped, according to a source in the room.
Musk has been a near-constant presence in Trump’s orbit since the election, offering his input on staffing choices and even getting named to a role to propose massive cuts to government spending and regulations. Trump has shown an affection for the billionaire company head, frequently invoking him in speeches.
But some Republicans have questioned how long Trump and Musk can happily co-exist, particularly given Trump’s past frustration with those who take up too much of the spotlight.
“Trump is not going to have another alpha. I think Trump is going to tire of him,” one source close to the transition told The Hill.
One Republican lobbyist with ties to Trump said there are some in the president-elect’s orbit who think Musk is “a little big for his britches.”
Trump transition team spokesperson Karoline Leavitt did not respond to requests for comment from The Hill, but in a statement on Wednesday to NBC News described Musk and Trump as “great friends and brilliant leaders working together to Make America Great Again.”
“Elon Musk is a once in a generation business leader and our federal bureaucracy will certainly benefit from his ideas and efficiency,” Leavitt said.
Musk has been among the president-elect’s most vocal and influential supporters since he endorsed Trump immediately after a July assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally.
Musk pumped millions of dollars into a pro-Trump super PAC that helped with voter turnout efforts, campaigned for Trump in Pennsylvania and appeared at multiple Trump rallies, including at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
During the transition, Musk has been a visible figure at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida estate where he and his teams have huddled to staff the next administration. He joined Trump’s call with Zelensky and has reportedly provided input on potential staff picks.
Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, posted a photo on X on Sunday from a golf course in Florida alongside Musk that joked the billionaire was “achieving uncle status.”
And Margo Martin, a longtime Trump aide, posted a video late Wednesday showing the president-elect and Musk joining singer Christopher Macchio at Mar-a-Lago to sing “God Bless America.”
In addition to being attached to Trump at the hip, Musk has been given a more formal task: He is co-leading an effort to identify cuts to government spending and regulations, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, who ran a GOP presidential campaign of his own before dropping out and endorsing Trump.
The Department of Government Efficiency, as the effort has been dubbed, will serve as an outside advisory commission, meaning Musk will not have a formal government title. But his influence could still be particularly beneficial given his companies have billions of dollars worth of government contracts.
While Trump and Musk appear to be getting along well, the president-elect has historically grown frustrated with those who take up too much of the spotlight, particularly at his expense.
Steve Bannon was pushed out as Trump’s senior White House strategist in 2017 after clashing with other staff and being accused of leaking to reporters. Trump lashed out at Bannon months later when Bannon was quoted extensively in a book that portrayed him as a central influence in the Trump White House.
The two have since mended fences, with Bannon’s podcast being a popular stop for Trump allies and conservative voices.
Trump in 2020 clashed with Dr. Anthony Fauci as Fauci’s star rose as the face of the administration’s COVID-19 pandemic response and as an expert willing to push back on Trump’s claims. Trump eventually sidelined the doctor and led public briefings on the outbreak himself.
Republicans close to Trump suggested it would be telling whether Musk remains a highly visible presence once the president-elect takes office.
“I think we will need to see how it all shakes out,” the GOP lobbyist with ties to Trump told The Hill. “Does he ever try to be the man without a portfolio who roams around the White House intruding on every issue, every discussion.”
Alex Gangitano and Mychael Schnell contributed
