White House Chief of Staff Discusses Musk’s Relationship with Trump

During a recent episode of “Pod Force One,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wills referred to Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as “very troublesome,” although she mentioned that it’s primarily a “small problem” for the administration.

Wills supported columnist Miranda Devine’s assertion that Musk, who was born in South Africa, seemed to have an unusual, almost paternal obsession with Donald Trump. “The president was very kind to him, and Elon had a lot to offer us,” Wills said. “He was knowledgeable about things we weren’t, and that was beneficial, but, well, it didn’t end well.”

As Musk’s time as a special government employee was winding down, he expressed disappointment about the implications of a major bill Trump recently signed, describing it as a “shame” because of its impact on the deficit.

In late May, Trump had offered Musk some time in the Oval Office, suggesting that the billionaire would “be with us all the time and help us all the time.” Yet, shortly thereafter, Musk criticized a key part of Trump’s agenda, describing it as “filled with pork” and “unpleasant.” This led to a dramatic backlash on social media.

Wills reflected, “I don’t quite understand why their relationship soured. I found working with Elon enjoyable. He has a unique perspective, and that’s probably what appealed to the president. But obviously, the ending wasn’t great.”

After a brief period without conflict, Musk, now 54, announced his plans for the American Party as he prepared for the upcoming midterm elections. Trump, 79, called Musk a “train wreck” and dismissed his political aspirations as “silly.”

Wills went on to praise Musk’s intelligence, indicating that he shared valuable insights during the early days of the administration. She also rejected the idea that Musk’s criticism stemmed from jealousy, stating, “That doesn’t seem like Elon.”

Trump and other Republicans speculated that Musk’s shift in attitude was influenced by cuts related to green energy tax credits in the recent legislation. While Musk denied any such motivations, he has publicly supported initiatives related to green energy.

The new law is anticipated to increase the deficit by approximately $3.9 trillion over the next decade, according to the Responsible Federal Budget Commission.