The tech mogul allegedly took up residence at Mar-a-Lago, gaining close access to the US president-elect
Billionaire Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has reportedly been living in a cottage on Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida since the US presidential election in November, according to The New York Times.
Musk took up residence at the Banyan Cottage, which typically rents for $2,000 per night and is situated just a few hundred feet from Trump’s main house, providing Musk with easy access to the president-elect, the NYT reported on Monday, citing a person familiar with the property.
This arrangement underscores Musk’s significant influence on Trump’s transition team and has allowed him frequent visits with the president-elect, including dinners and policy discussions, the newspaper noted.
Since publicly endorsing Trump following a failed assassination attempt in July, Musk has gradually become one of his key advisors on both policy and personnel decisions. He attended meetings at the Mar-a-Lago Teahouse, participated in phone calls with foreign leaders, and involved his employees in vetting candidates for senior administration roles. Recently, Musk joined Trump for dinner with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a rival in the tech industry.
Musk’s financial contributions to Trump’s campaign have also been substantial: he reportedly spent around $250 million in the final months of the election cycle to support Trump. This level of backing has cemented Musk’s role as one of the most important donors and social media promoters for the president-elect.
The tech mogul’s stay at Mar-a-Lago allegedly began around Election Day, during which he watched the returns with Trump. He left the property briefly around Christmas but is expected to return soon, the newspaper wrote, noting that the exact amount Musk will pay for his stay at Mar-a-Lago remains unclear. Vice President-elect JD Vance has also been frequently seen at Mar-a-Lago during the transition period.
Last week, Trump posted what appears to be a private text to Musk on his social media platform, extending an invitation to visit Mar-a-Lago. Screenshots shared by several outlets included Musk’s acknowledgment of the invitation but did not confirm whether he planned to attend.
”Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago?” Trump wrote in a soon-deleted post, adding, “We miss you and X! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!!” before signing off with his initials, “DJT.”
