[Trump Again] Trump’s Behind-the-Scenes Power, Billionaire and MAGA Prince

Key Figures in Trump’s Second Term
"Musk Is the Real President" After $250 Million Investment
Eldest Son in Charge of 'Loyalist' Appointments... Supporting from Outside

Donald Trump Jr. and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and known as the 'First Buddy (No. 1 Friend),' are emerging as key figures in the incoming Donald Trump administration, which is set to launch on the 20th (local time). They played a crucial role in Trump’s victory, exerting significant influence from the election campaign to cabinet appointments and policy blueprints, and are expected to remain actively involved both inside and outside the government after its inauguration.

As the second Trump administration prepares to take office, global attention is focused on CEO Musk. He is also the co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will implement Trump’s core policies. His influence on the next administration is so strong that the U.S. Democratic Party has criticized, saying "Musk is the president and Trump is the vice president."

Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, appointed as co-head of the Government Efficiency Department under the Trump administration. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News.

During the presidential campaign, Musk poured $250 million (approximately 364 billion KRW) into supporting Trump’s victory, rising as a key figure in the next administration. It is even said that Trump’s granddaughter calls him 'uncle,' indicating his near-family status.

A representative example of Musk CEO’s influence was the temporary budget bill incident on the 18th of last month. Musk publicly criticized Republican lawmakers who supported the temporary budget bill before Trump himself on the social networking service X (formerly Twitter), calling it a 'ridiculous budget bill,' and attempted to overturn the decision. Additionally, he has been present during phone calls with foreign leaders and has attended key dinners with Trump.

Musk’s influence was also significantly reflected in the appointments of the second Trump administration. The conventional notion that Silicon Valley supports the Democratic Party was broken. Many former PayPal executives, known as the 'PayPal Mafia,' who are close to Musk, were appointed to key positions in the Trump administration. David Sacks, former COO of PayPal, was appointed AI and cryptocurrency czar, and Michael Kratsios, nominated as White House Chief of Science and Technology Policy, is also from PayPal. Jared Isaacman, nominated as NASA administrator, invested $27.5 million (approximately 4 billion KRW) in Musk’s SpaceX.

The Associated Press evaluated, "Musk CEO is gaining political dominance" and "his influence has grown due to his vast wealth."

Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of President-elect Donald Trump. Photo by AP Yonhap News

As in the first term, nepotism remains strong in the second term. While the eldest daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner led the first term, the eldest son Donald Trump Jr. is taking the forefront this time. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an article in October last year titled 'How Trump Jr. Became the Crown Prince of the MAGA (Make America Great Again) World,' stating, "After a lifetime of striving for his father’s recognition, he became the most important political advisor and gatekeeper." The outlet also described Trump Jr. as the 'No. 1 proxy' for Trump.

Trump Jr. was also entrusted with the important task of selecting 'loyalists' to work in the next administration, reflecting his status within Trump’s inner circle. In a Fox News interview, he openly revealed his personnel principles. According to major foreign media, Trump Jr. had a significant influence on the surprising selection of 40-year-old JD Vance as the vice-presidential running mate, beating out other prominent figures. It is also analyzed that Trump Jr. influenced the appointments of Robert Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee and Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) nominee.

Although Trump Jr. announced he would join the venture capital firm '1789 Capital' instead of working directly in the next administration, he is expected to play a role supporting his father from outside the government. His influence on the Trump administration and American politics is expected to continue. His visit to Greenland on the 7th is an example. While Trump insists on purchasing Greenland for national security reasons, Trump Jr. visited Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, for 'tourism.' In a WSJ interview, Trump Jr. expressed his intention to carry on the MAGA movement, saying, "I don’t want a MAGA movement with only my father."

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