WASHINGTON – Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is positioned to have sweeping powers in the second Trump administration as a deputy tasked with restructuring government operations using his aggressive approach to business.
The next chapter in the life of the South African-born tycoon comes after he delivered unprecedented support for Trump’s campaign, coming out a huge winner in his first deep dive into politics.
He invested over US$100 million (S$130 million) and leveraged his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to amplify the former president’s anti-immigration and right-wing messaging.
His America PAC (political action committee) doled out US$1 million giveaways to registered voters in key states and funded ground operations that expanded Trump’s support in crucial swing districts.
But he appeared to have made the money back already, and then some: Tesla shares soared in the hours after Trump’s victory, netting Mr Musk some US$15 billion on the morning of Nov 6, Forbes reported.
Mr Musk on Nov 6 shared …