Michael Cohen, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, believes the president will turn on his friend Elon Musk due to jealousy over his wealth. According to Forbes, Musk is worth $417 billion, while Trump has a net worth of $5.1 billion.
Cohen made these remarks during an MSNBC panel discussion, stating that he’s long suspected the pair’s friendship was coming to an end. He believes Trump will ultimately target Musk’s money because it bothers him that Musk is the richest man in the world.
Trump previously used Musk’s companies for his own financial gain, and now he plans to use them against Musk, Cohen claims. Specifically, Cohen suggests that Trump could attempt to use government agencies, such as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was spearheaded by Musk, to claw back billions of dollars in subsidies and contracts given to Tesla.
Musk has benefited from numerous government contracts and incentives, including a $7,000 credit for every Tesla vehicle sold. Cohen believes that Trump will try to reverse this and have the US pay for electric vehicles instead. This plan is reminiscent of how Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman went after the wealth of his relatives.
In recent years, Musk has been seen as an ally to Trump’s administration, donating $288 million to help elect him in 2024. However, this association has led to some consumers boycotting Tesla, causing the company’s value to decline.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/michael-cohen-trump-musk-money-b2762116.html