Donald Trump would name ‘brilliant’ Elon Musk to a cabinet role and says he may end EV tax credits | Euronews

“I certainly would, if he would do it,” Trump said on naming Musk to a cabinet or advisory role.

US presidential hopeful Donald Trump said that he “certainly would” name Tesla CEO Elon Musk to a cabinet or advisory role if elected after saying he would end tax credits for electric vehicle purchases.

"Tax credits and tax incentives are not generally a very good thing," Trump told Reuters after a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Monday.

When asked about naming Musk to a particular role in his administration Trump said: "He's a very smart guy. I certainly would, if he would do it, I certainly would. He's a brilliant guy".

Musk has endorsed Trump and reportedly said in July he was planning to pledge $45 million (€41 million) a month to a political committee supporting the former US president. Musk later denied the report.

Musk did not explicitly say he would join a cabinet or advisory role but posted on his social media platform X on Tuesday “I am willing to serve” with an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image of him standing on a podium reading “Department of Energy Efficiency” with the American flag behind him.

However, how Trump and Musk could work together could be complicated.

Trump also said on Monday: “I'm a big fan of electric cars, but I'm a fan of gasoline-propelled cars, and also hybrids and whatever else happens to come along".

The US Treasury Department has set rules that make it easier for EV purchasers to take advantage of a $7,500 (€6,800) tax credit.

In 2019, while Trump was serving as president, he sought to repeal the EV tax credit but in 2022 President Joe Biden expanded it.

Trump told Reuters he was “not making any final decisions on” the EV tax credit but that “you can’t mandate that you can only buy an electric car”.