Musk could become policy adviser if Trump wins election: WSJ

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is considering tapping billionaire Elon Musk as a policy adviser if the Republican presidential candidate reclaims the White House in November’s election, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the talks.

The two have discussed ways for Musk, who runs the social media platform X as well as SpaceX and Tesla TSLA.O, to have “formal input and influence” over economic and border security policies, according to the Journal.

The WSJ also said Musk informed Trump about his ongoing influence campaign aimed at convincing powerful US business leaders not to support Democratic President Joe Biden, who beat Trump in the 2020 election and is seeking a second term.

Those talks, which included billionaire investor Nelson Peltz, also included discussions about funding a “data-driven project to prevent voter fraud,” the outlet said, adding no further details were known.

Representatives for Trump and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives for the Biden campaign also did not immediately respond.

Trump campaign spokesperson Brian Hughes told the Journal that only Trump will decide “what role an individual plays in his presidency.” The WSJ said Musk did not respond to its requests for comment.