Things are not always what they seem ...

Introduction: The Calculated Visibility of Elon Musk

Elon Musk, known for his high-profile presence and outspoken personality, has recently made headlines for showing support for Donald Trump. However, this support appears more aligned with his strategic business interests than with any deep political ideology.

Musk has demonstrated a pattern of increasing his visibility when angling for governmental support or regulatory relief for his vast business empire, which spans Tesla, SpaceX, solar power, and communication satellites. With his companies currently under scrutiny from federal agencies and facing over 60 federal lawsuits and dozens of state-level lawsuits—with claims amounting to billions of dollars in potential liabilities—Musk’s alignment with Trump seems to be a calculated move to gain political and regulatory favor, despite his previous criticisms of the former president.

Transactional Approach to Life and People: Musk and Trump

A key factor linking Musk and Trump is their highly transactional approach to life, business, and relationships. Both men are known for treating people and situations as tools to achieve their desired outcomes, making decisions based on what will bring them the most benefit at any given time. For Trump, this has manifested in his business deals, political alliances, and presidential decisions, where loyalty is secondary to personal or political gain. Similarly, Musk has built his empire by making strategic, sometimes ruthless decisions, often shifting his public stance depending on where his interests lie.

Both are notorious for using their visibility and influence to push their agendas. Trump’s use of the media to command attention and sway public opinion is well documented, while Musk leverages social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to drive narratives that benefit his ventures. Their transactional nature makes Musk’s sudden alignment with Trump unsurprising, as both see political connections and public personas as assets in their pursuit of power and success.

Lawsuits and Federal Scrutiny

Musk’s businesses, while technologically innovative, are deeply entangled in legal and regulatory issues. Tesla, in particular, is under intense scrutiny from both federal and state authorities. The company faces:

• Over 60 federal lawsuits, covering a range of issues from labor disputes and safety violations to misleading claims about Tesla’s Autopilot system.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating multiple accidents involving Tesla’s Autopilot system, some of which have resulted in fatalities. Despite Musk’s repeated assurances that the technology is “almost there,” safety regulators have flagged significant flaws in the system.
• The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched criminal investigations into Tesla’s Autopilot claims, raising concerns that the company has misled consumers about the system’s actual capabilities.

At the state level, Tesla is facing dozens of lawsuits, many of which focus on workplace safety, labor law violations, and discrimination. Tesla’s solar panel division, SolarCity, has also been accused of misleading business practices. Musk’s other ventures—SpaceX, Starlink, and SolarCity—are similarly under scrutiny, with issues ranging from government contract disputes to federal subsidies and patent challenges. The estimated financial exposure from these lawsuits is potentially in the billions of dollars, a figure that could severely impact Musk's businesses if unfavorable rulings were to pile up.

Given this legal pressure, Musk’s support for Trump appears transactional, aimed at gaining political favor from a potential Trump administration that could ease regulatory burdens on his businesses.

Political Influence and Favoritism

Musk, like Trump, is adept at using his public persona to influence opinions and advance his business interests. His companies have benefited significantly from government support in the form of subsidies, contracts, and regulatory relief. For example:

• Tesla has received billions in government subsidies and tax credits, particularly for its electric vehicle program, which has helped the company dominate the market.
• SpaceX has secured valuable government contracts with NASA and the U.S. military, supporting national space exploration and defense efforts.

By aligning with Trump, Musk is likely positioning himself to benefit from a future administration that could be more sympathetic to his business interests. Trump has a history of favoring business-friendly policies and deregulation, which would potentially ease the legal and regulatory pressures currently weighing on Musk’s companies.

Given Musk’s history of leveraging political relationships for his own gain, his recent vocal support for Trump underscores the transactional nature of his approach to business and politics. It is a move that could benefit his sprawling business empire if Trump were to return to power.

Musk’s Previous Criticism of Trump

Musk’s recent support for Trump is particularly striking given his previous criticisms of the former president, especially after Trump’s loss in the 2020 election. Following the January 6th Capitol riot, Musk was openly critical of Trump’s refusal to accept the election results. On January 7, 2021, Musk tweeted, “The people have spoken” in reference to Trump’s defeat, implying that the democratic process should be respected. Musk also retweeted posts critical of the violence linked to Trump’s election challenge.

In 2022, Musk made it clear that he didn’t support Trump returning to office, calling him “too divisive” and advocating for younger, more unifying leadership. Musk argued that Trump’s polarizing approach was not what the country needed moving forward. Despite these statements, Musk’s recent pivot to supporting Trump reflects the transactional nature of his behavior—when his business interests are at stake, past criticism is quickly set aside in favor of potential gain.

The Autopilot Liability Problem

One of the most significant legal challenges Musk faces is Tesla’s Autopilot system, which has been linked to multiple accidents and fatalities. Musk has aggressively marketed the system as a near-autonomous driving solution, yet its imperfections have led to a growing number of liability lawsuits. Consumers and regulators have raised concerns about Tesla’s misleading claims regarding the safety and reliability of the technology.

Musk’s recent support for Trump could be seen as an effort to secure a political environment more favorable to risk-taking in the tech industry. Trump’s tendency to downplay regulations could benefit Musk by reducing the legal and regulatory scrutiny surrounding Tesla’s Autopilot system, allowing Musk to continue developing the technology without facing as much pressure from safety regulators.

Conclusion: Transactional Business Interests at the Forefront

Musk’s emerging support for Trump, despite his past criticism, appears to be a calculated, transactional move to protect his business interests rather than a shift in political ideology. Like Trump, Musk has a history of using his visibility to manipulate public opinion and curry favor when it suits his agenda. Both men view relationships, media coverage, and political alliances as tools to further their ambitions.

As Musk faces mounting lawsuits and regulatory challenges—over 60 at the federal level and dozens more at the state level, with claims reaching BILLIONS of dollars—his alignment with Trump appears to be a bid to secure the political and economic influence necessary to protect his sprawling business empire. This support is less about shared values and more about preserving the transactional relationships that have been vital to both Musk’s and Trump’s success.