Former US President Donald Trump has shown interest in involving Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a possible cabinet or advisory role if he wins the upcoming US Presidential Elections.
During a recent interview after a campaign event in York, Pennsylvania, Trump, who is now a Republican presidential candidate, discussed his views on electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and potential cabinet selections.
When questioned about the current $7,500 tax credit for EV purchases, Trump voiced skepticism, saying, “Tax credits and tax incentives are not generally a very good thing.” He suggested that he might reevaluate this policy if he were to be elected.
Trump also spoke highly of Elon Musk, who recently endorsed him. When asked whether he would consider Musk for an advisory or cabinet position, Trump responded positively: “He’s a very smart guy. I certainly would, if he would do it. He’s a brilliant guy.”
The former president also touched on possible changes to auto industry policies, including strategies to limit vehicle exports from Mexico and prevent Chinese automakers from setting up plants there for the U.S. market. He explained, “If you put tariffs on those cars, they’re going to make them here. 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 also expressed support for foreign automakers building vehicles in the United States, stating, “We’re going to offer incentives, and if China and other countries want to come here and sell cars, they’ll need to build plants here and hire our workers. We will produce our own cars. I want us to make our own cars.”
Regarding TikTok, Trump acknowledged the challenges of banning the app, saying, “It’s very hard to ban something like that because you’re talking about free speech. There are many different factors involved in that equation, but TikTok has treated me very well.”
