Former President Trump said Monday that he would consider Tesla CEO Elon Musk for a job in his Cabinet if he wins the November election.
“He’s a very smart guy. I certainly would, if he would do it, I certainly would. He’s a brilliant guy,” Trump told Reuters in an interview.
In the same interview, Trump signaled he was open to reversing a $7,500 tax credit for Americans who purchase an electric vehicle. The Biden administration has sought to incentivize the production and purchase of electric cars as part of its push to address climate change.
Musk, who also owns the social media platform X, endorsed Trump in the presidential race and backed a super PAC supporting the former president’s bid.
Trump and Musk held a two-hour conversation on X last week, during which the Tesla CEO signaled he would be willing to serve on a government commission to study the national debt and how Congress could reassess spending. The possibility of a Cabinet position did not come up.
“I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that looks at these things to make sure taxpayer money is spent in a good way,” Musk told Trump. “I’d be happy to help out on such a commission.”