The billionaire activist investor who final yr took on Disney in a failed proxy combat mentioned he’s the explanation Elon Musk helped Donald Trump clench the presidential election.
Months earlier than the Tesla CEO threw his help behind the now president-elect, Nelson Peltz, the founding associate and CEO of Trian Companions, and his son, Diesel, introduced the 2 collectively for a late spring breakfast, Peltz mentioned throughout CNBC’s Delivering Alpha Convention on Wednesday.
“Elon was on the home for a weekend, and we had a breakfast and invited Donald for breakfast, they usually form of reunited once more,” Peltz mentioned through the onstage interview. “I used to be a matchmaker.”
Apparently the pair clicked, as Musk would quickly turn out to be one of many president’s greatest supporters, each at rallies and thru donations.
Musk formally endorsed Trump following an assassination try on the Republican throughout a marketing campaign rally in July. He later contributed about $200 million to Trump’s marketing campaign via his tremendous PAC, the AP reported.
Peltz, for his half, is glad the Trump-Musk partnership got here to fruition, including that the president-elect’s victory relied on Musk.
“I don’t know that Donald would have had this sweeping victory with out Elon. Elon was in Pennsylvania, I believed he was going to be Amish, he was there full time,” Peltz mentioned, based on The Hollywood Reporter.
On Tuesday, Trump named Musk co-leader of a brand new Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), a consulting-type operation, meant to drastically lower federal spending to economize.
But, whereas Musk has implied he gained’t be part of the incoming administration full-time, he’s reportedly spending loads of time at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the place he has sat in on job interviews, and practically each assembly with Trump, the New York Occasions reported. The Wall Road Journal dubbed it “Musk-a-Lago.” He has even joined telephone calls with international leaders, together with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, based on the outlet.
“I’m completely satisfied to be first buddy!” he wrote in reply to a consumer’s put up on X on Monday.
Whereas Trump appears to be embracing Musk as a member of the group, even taking footage with the Trump household, exterior specialists have warned that the connection might not final endlessly. And even Trump has joked about their potential fallout.
“Elon gained’t go dwelling. I can’t do away with him—not less than till I don’t like him,” Trump instructed Republican leaders Wednesday.
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