Two Hundred Million Smackers Buys a Lot of Influence

Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club has been brimming in the last 48 hours with two kinds of people: those angling for a job in the president-elect’s incoming administration, and those trying to influence him into hiring their picks for the top spots.

But the one person who has loomed over it all and has exerted a great deal of influence is Elon Musk, according to multiple sources. The tech billionaire has been seen at the resort in Palm Beach, Florida, almost every day since Trump won the election last week, dining with him on the patio some evenings and hanging out with his family Sunday at the golf course.
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Sources have described Trump as enamored with Musk.

“We have to protect our geniuses, we don’t have that many of them,” the president-elect said during his victory speech early Wednesday morning.

While Musk himself is not formally expected to take a position in Trump’s administration, he doesn’t really need to, one source said, noting the X owner is having just as much influence from the outside. ... It seemed more plausible that Musk would be appointed to a blue-ribbon committee, where he would still have enormous access but would not be subject to government ethics rules, which would require him to divest or put assets in a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest.

I have no doubt that Musk, who is allegedly America's richest illegal immigrant, is laying on the flattery and obsequiousness with a trowel, because that (and cash) is the way to Commandante Bone Spurs's withered heart.

But sooner or later, Musk is going to say or do something that Demented Donnie doesn't like and Musk will be kicked to the curb. Because, when you get right down to it, the FOFF already has Elon's money. And people who can't do anything more for The Donald get gone. His motto pretty much is "What Have You Done For Me Lately." He doesn't need anything more from him.

Musk will eventually commit the cardinal sin of getting his name in the press too much. And then he'll be tossed away like a used tissue.

In the meantime, between the almost-certain termination of the EV tax credit and the emnity Musk has earned from the demographic that buys EVs both here and abroad, Teslas will be a drug on the market.