Musk plays an important and unique role in the Trump transition team:

Policy advisor and adviser:

Government agency reform proposals: Musk has proposed many ideas and suggestions to Trump on government agency reform. For example, he suggested the establishment of a “Government Efficiency Department” to conduct a comprehensive audit of the finances and operations of the entire federal government, aiming to identify and eliminate “fraud and improper spending” and propose a goal of cutting federal spending by $2 trillion. This idea was recognized by Trump, and Trump announced that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would jointly lead this new department after taking office as president.

Participation in personnel decision-making: Musk actively participates in the personnel decision-making of the Trump administration. He will express his opinions on candidates for cabinet positions and use his influence to have a certain impact on the candidates for some key positions. For example, regarding Trump’s intention to invite New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to serve as the US ambassador to the United Nations, Musk once expressed concerns on social platforms about how this arrangement might affect the Republican Party.

International affairs contact: Musk participated in diplomatic affairs such as Trump’s calls with foreign leaders. It is reported that Musk participated in Trump’s calls with Ukrainian President Zelensky and Turkish President Erdogan, which shows that he plays a certain communication and liaison role in the diplomatic affairs of Trump’s transition team.

Political influence promoter:

Campaign support and resource contribution: During Trump’s campaign, Musk not only publicly expressed his support, but also provided a lot of resources for him. According to records of the Federal Election Commission, Musk’s total donations to Trump exceeded $130 million. He also personally went to swing states many times to assist Trump’s campaign, providing strong support for Trump’s victory.

Public opinion guidance and public influence: As a world-renowned entrepreneur and influential figure on social media, Musk’s remarks and actions can attract a lot of attention and discussion. His support for Trump and his participation in the transition team have, to a certain extent, brought more public attention and influence to Trump’s policies and the work of the transition team, helping to promote Trump’s political agenda.

However, Musk’s participation has also caused some controversy. Some people believe that his work in the Department of Government Efficiency may be for the benefit of his own company. But overall, Musk plays an important role in Trump’s transition team and has a certain impact on the formation of the Trump administration and the future policy direction.