He may not be a SpaceX rocket, but Musk’s trajectory has launched into orbit — propelled by his deepening ties to Donald Trump’s administration. As the world’s richest man cements his role in reshaping US governance, a flurry of finance, tech, and aerospace firms have accelerated deals with his companies, blending business strategy with political calculus.
- Following Trump’s win, Visa announced a deal with X, while JPMorgan dropped a long-standing $162M lawsuit against Tesla — signaling Wall Street’s goodwill as Morgan Stanley began trading $3B in debt tied to Musk’s empire.
- Tech elites like Amazon ramped ad spending on X tenfold, Apple enabled Starlink connectivity for T-Mobile users, and even United Airlines fast-tracked Starlink WiFi — with some of these executives seen rubbing shoulders with Musk at Trump’s inauguration.
Art of the deal 2.0: Musk’s near-constant involvement in AI, defense, and economic policy discussions (FT) has led companies to accelerate partnerships for potential political advantages, according to a management professor at Arizona State University. On the contrary, a Washington lobbyist cautioned that delaying deals with Musk could invite retribution — signaling that the line between innovation and influence in Musk’s orbit is as thin as the atmosphere his rockets breach.
