Donald Trump and his wife Melania dined with Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago this weekend as the Tesla founder exerted his influence on the new administration.
A video posted to social media showed the trio having a nice dinner outside on the patio, smiling and chatting. Melania Trump and Elon Musk were dressed in black, while the president-elect wore a suit with a yellow tie.
Trump celebrates his landslide election victory with his supporters behind the closed doors of his private club in Palm Beach.
The president-elect’s regular table is always cordoned off, but he works across the room on his way to his seat, stopping to shake hands and chat with guests. He showed off his dance moves, posed for selfies and was generally elated about his win.
In between the festivities, he is working to appoint his White House staff and members of his Cabinet.
A steady presence at his side through it all was Musk, the 53-year-old founder of SpaceX and the richest man in the world. He is seen at Mar-a-Lago almost every day.
Donald and Melania Trump dine at Mar-a-Lago with Elon Musk
The ‘bromance’ between the two men has grown stronger since Trump won a second term in the White House.
Musk, who was a staunch supporter of Trump during the election, has participated in transition meetings, held talks with world leaders and voiced his support for the Republican Senate leadership race.
He is not expected to take a formal position in a second Trump administration, but that will not be necessary: he has already shown that he has too much influence and a direct line to Trump.
However, Musk could be appointed to a blue-ribbon committee, CNN reports thiswhere he would still have vast access but not be subject to government ethics rules.
If he were a government official, Musk would have to divest and separate from his private companies — Tesla,
The committee would look at reducing government spending and creating a more efficient government.
Musk was deeply invested in a Trump victory. He donated $119 million to a political action committee that helped elect the newly elected president.
Now he’s making his thoughts known about what Trump’s second term should look like. He was able to wield enormous power by installing deputies, allies, and ideological partners in government agencies.
He has pushed Trump to appoint some of his SpaceX managers to the Defense Department.
This weekend, Musk endorsed Florida Senator Rick Scott, a Trump ally, over South Dakota Senator John Thune in the race for Senate Republican leader.
Musk gave Scott his blessing after the senator quickly backed Trump’s demand that anyone vying to become leader support recess appointments for his nominees — a way for presidents to try to bypass Congress that Senate Democrats would essentially can block.
Scott is a former health care executive and the richest sitting senator. Musk labeled Thune the “Democrats’ top pick.”
Elon Musk has exerted his influence during the run-up to Trump’s second term
Elon Musk has gotten close to Melania Trump, the two are seen with Musk’s son at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden in October
Musk was at Mar-a-Lago when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Trump to congratulate him on his victory. Trump put the Ukrainian president on speaker phone so Musk could join the call.
Musk is close not only to Trump, but also to his transition co-chair, Howard Lutnick – the billionaire CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.
He is also close to Melania Trump, the new first lady.