"Lobbyist and Lobby Target"... Companies Struggle with Musk's 'Dual Role Play'

Musk Reduced Tesla's Government Relations and Lobbying Over the Past Year
When Communication Channels Closed, Musk Sent 'Text Bombs' to Acquaintances

Reports have emerged that companies are trying to win the favor of Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, but are struggling to secure communication channels.

On the 1st (local time), The Washington Post (WP) reported, "Unlike many tech company CEOs who try to push their agendas through lobbyists, government relations departments, and political consultants, Musk has personally jumped into the lobbying scene," adding, "Those who sought to influence the Trump administration through Musk have been handed a perplexing challenge."

On the 14th of last month (local time), Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, attended the 'America First Policy Institute (AFPI)' gala event held at the Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News.

The reason companies are having difficulty building relationships with CEO Musk lies in his unique lobbying philosophy. Musk believes that personally engaging in lobbying with the federal government and Congress is the most effective approach, and over the past year, he has significantly downsized Tesla's government relations and public affairs functions. He also terminated contracts with lobbying firms and reportedly instructed executives at SpaceX, his space company, to avoid contact with the media.

Because the usual lobbying channels are blocked, companies, lobbyists, and consultants trying to reach CEO Musk have been bombarding Musk's acquaintances with text messages, WP reported. People who have worked with Musk are receiving a flood of calls and text messages asking, "How can we get in touch with Elon?"

Attempts to contact Musk publicly through the social networking service X (formerly Twitter), which Musk owns, are also ongoing. Recently, Musk has shared multiple communications with influential political and business figures on X, such as commenting on recommendations or support promises from Senator Jonny Ernst and Representative Ro Khanna regarding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Reuters Yonhap News

WP evaluated, "Musk is essentially playing a 'dual role,'" stating, "While trying to influence the new administration, he himself is also becoming a target of lobbying." This highlights Musk's unique position as he exerts influence over various policies and appointments in the upcoming Trump administration while receiving love calls from companies.

Sources explained that Musk's decision to completely overhaul Tesla's government relations operations and personally take the lead dates back two years. During the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, Musk was dissatisfied that lobbyists failed to secure more benefits for Tesla, prompting him to revise his strategy to personally engage in lobbying.

Thanks to this, despite operating in heavily regulated industries, Musk's companies have spent less on lobbying compared to other tech firms. According to OpenSecrets, which tracks U.S. lobbying funds, SpaceX spent a record $2.87 million on lobbying last year, Tesla spent $1.13 million, and X spent $850,000. This contrasts with Meta Platforms, Google, and Amazon, which each pour about $20 million annually into lobbying alone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.