Trump teases Musk appointment if he's elected
Former President Donald Trump is known for thinking outside of the box when choosing those to fill his advisory positions, but his latest choice could be met with mixed reactions.
On Monday Trump admitted that he would tap Tesla and X owner Elon Musk for a cabinet or advisory position if he returns to the White House next year.
As Just The News reported, during a conversation last week on Musk's social networking site, he and the Republican presidential nominee discussed forming a "government efficiency commission" to examine potential methods of cutting government expenditures.
During an interview with Reuters on Monday, the former president addressed the possibility of eliminating a tax credit for the purchase of electric vehicles, but he did not specify which cabinet or advisory role he would offer Musk.
From Trump
"Tax credits and tax incentives are not generally a very good thing," Trump told the outlet after a Pennsylvania rally.
"I'm not making any final decisions on it, I'm a big fan of electric cars. But I'm a fan of gasoline-propelled cars, and also hybrids and whatever else happens to come along."
Trump has stated his intention to undo the regulations put in place by the Biden administration that mandate increased production of electric and hybrid vehicles by the auto industry in order to comply with more stringent pollution regulations.
In the aftermath of last month's shooting incident at the former president's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Musk swiftly endorsed Trump for president. Trump was unharmed other than having his ear perforated by the bullet.
Risks of Advising Trump
For Musk this position could come with possible dangers, considering the retribution that has rained down on a number of the former president's advisors from his last administration.
The Department of Justice's sights have been set on those who supported the president, including over 30 Trump associates subpoenaed by a grand jury over alleged efforts to influence 2020 election results.
Roughly a dozen Trump associates have been charged with crimes, and this week, the FBI raided the home of former Trump advisor Dimitri Simes. Rappahannock News reported that Simes, whose name appeared more than 130 times in the 2019 report on Russian influence in the presidential election by former special counsel Robert Mueller, was informed of Tuesday's search as he was out of the country.
The policy expert, who was born in Russia, provided advice to Trump's campaign in 2016. The raid “clearly is an attempt to intimidate, not only somebody from Russia, but just anyone who goes against official policies and particularly against the deep state,” he later told the Russian government-owned Sputnik News.
