The ‘bromance’ between former president Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk heated up on Monday, when Trump said at a rally in York, Pennsylvania, if reelected US president, he would consider offering a cabinet position or an advisory role to the Tesla CEO. “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. Musk has endorsed Trump’s run for the presidency and is backing a political action committee that is targetting to raise US$45,000,000 a month for Trump’s campaign. Last week, the two held a two-hour conversation on X, formerly Twitter, during which Musk said he would consider serving on a government commission to look into the US national debt, but a cabinet position was not discussed. “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 said. “I’d be happy to help out on such a commission.” On Tuesday, Musk posted on X “I am willing to serve” standing behind a sign that reads ‘Department of Government Efficiency.’ .Trump also told Reuters he would consider eliminating a US$7,500 tax credit for Americans who purchase electric vehicles, implemented by the Biden administration to encourage EV sales. "Tax credits and tax incentives are not generally a very good thing," Trump said. "I'm not making any final decisions on it. I'm a big fan of electric cars, but I'm also a fan of gasoline-propelled cars, and also hybrids and whatever else happens to come along." Trump also said he sees a "much smaller market" for EVs because of cost and battery range issues and that he would discourage exports of vehicles produced by the Detroit Three automakers.He added he would impose tariffs on imported EVs and would prevent Chinese automakers from building new plants in Mexico for US market vehicles, reports Reuters. "If you put tariffs on those cars, they're going to make it here" Trump said. "It's very simple. It's not complicated. If you tell Mexico, 'look, you're stealing our car industry,' which they're doing now." Trump is open to off-shore manufacturers building EVs in the US. "We're going to give incentives, and if China and other countries want to come here and sell the cars, they're going to build plants here, and they're going to hire our workers," Trump said. "We will make our own cars. I want to make our own cars."
