Elon Musk: From Tech Entrepreneur to "Political Player" at the White House

In a twist full of surprise and humor, Elon Musk has "inserted" himself into the Oval Office with the self-proclaimed title "First Buddy". More than just the founder of six giant companies, Musk now takes on the role of leading the federal cost-cutting force — D.O.G.E. — while simultaneously adjusting policies that have a direct impact on his company. Here is a detailed look at the hot developments surrounding businesses in the "Musk kingdom". X - Transforming from Twitter to 'X' After acquiring Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, Elon Musk transformed the platform into '('. Despite initially leading to a financial crisis with the gradual loss of advertisers and declining revenue, Musk joked that 'bankruptcy' could be the solution. However, following President Donald Trump's victory, major corporations such as Amazon, Apple, and many other advertisers quickly returned, helping ')' recover financially in no time. What is special is that the Trump administration has chosen X as the official channel for important government announcements, replacing traditional press conferences. Not stopping there, Musk also uses X as a political playground, criticizing and attacking regulatory agencies that he deems "wasteful." Even selling large debts related to the X purchase deal at near face value has helped ease concerns from banks, demonstrating the close relationship between politics and finance in Musk's "kingdom." However, X cannot avoid international turbulence as the European Union opens an investigation into "misinformation" issues, and Brussels regulators pressure Elon to comply more closely - especially as the Trump administration even suggests that NATO support could depend on Europe being "looser" with US technology regulations. Tesla - Challenge From Policy Change Behind the iconic electric car brand, Tesla has contributed to Elon Musk's massive $150 billion fortune. In 2024, the company made $2.8 billion from selling emission credits - accounting for up to 40% of net profit - to help other car manufacturers meet emission standards. However, when the Trump administration began rolling back Biden-era electric vehicle support policies - from scrapping the 2030 target of selling 50% new electric cars to proposing the elimination of the $7,500 tax credit - Tesla had to face significant market changes. Although Elon Musk remains confident in asserting that the future of electric transportation will come sooner or later, sales figures show that Tesla's car sales have decreased for the first time in over a decade, especially in Europe, where Musk's public support for extreme right-wing political figures has damaged the brand's reputation. In addition, the tense relationship in the trade war with China - the second largest market and the location of Tesla's largest Gigafactory - further increases the risk of delays in approving the company's self-driving technologies. SpaceX - The New Leverage of Federal Support With an initial investment of $350 billion, SpaceX quickly secured billions of dollars in contracts from NASA and the Department of Defense. Under Trump's administration, experts predicted that these contracts would continue to flourish. President Trump spared no praise for Musk, calling him a "super genius" in his victory speech. Furthermore, NASA's new manager - Jared Isaacman, a cryptocurrency supporter billionaire who directly led two SpaceX missions in 2022 - further solidifies the close relationship between Musk and political leaders. As the head of D.O.G.E, Musk currently has direct power to 'cut' through bureaucratic barriers. Agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and the US Fish and Wildlife Service – which used to often fine or restrict SpaceX's activities – are now under pressure to reduce regulations. Starlink and xAI - Expanding Global Influence The Starlink satellite network with 7,000 satellites has contributed significantly to the efforts to support Ukraine, while gradually asserting its influence in Taiwan and in international disputes. Under the Biden administration, Starlink has faced many challenges, from FCC delaying the expansion of the system to 30,000 satellites to canceling a $900 million bandwidth contract in 2022. But in just three weeks under the leadership of Trump, many barriers have been removed, paving the way for Starlink to develop more strongly. Parallel to that, the artificial intelligence field (AI) is also undergoing significant changes. The Trump administration's removal of AI regulations from the Biden era has created favorable conditions for xAI - Musk's AI startup - to receive support from the US government. The head of AI and cryptocurrency “watchdog”, David Sacks - a member of the famous “PayPal mafia” and a close associate of Musk - further helps xAI gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. However, the competition is not simple when 'competitors' like OpenAI also benefit from the regulatory relaxation. Musk's harsh criticism of OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, for turning the company into 'a deception for profit' has escalated to the point where Musk even dared to propose taking over OpenAI to prevent the transition to a large-scale corporate model. However, Altman firmly opposed, asserting that 'using political power to harm competitors goes against the spirit of freedom in the United States.' In addition, Musk also did not hesitate to openly confront a $500 billion AI infrastructure project backed by the Trump administration, questioning the financial structure of the project and the role of SoftBank in the deal. Conclusion In the increasingly intertwined political and business landscape, Elon Musk has been and is proving that his influence goes beyond the limits of technology. From turning X into an official government media channel, to restructuring the electric and space industry, Musk is not only an outstanding entrepreneur but also a figure capable of directly influencing the policies and regulations of an entire country. Despite controversies and criticisms, it cannot be denied that Musk's 'kingdom' is ushering in a new era, where financial and political power intersect in a strong and surprising way.