Tesla CEO Elon Musk had a seat at the family table for Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago, joining President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and their 18-year-old son Barron. This gathering marks yet another sign of the growing alliance between Trump and the world’s richest man.
Video footage recorded by Michael Solakiewicz captured Musk sitting next to Trump as they joyously participated in the fun of the holiday feast. The pair were seen enjoying the classic celebration anthem “Y-M-C-A,” with Trump playfully slapping his hand on the table and giving Musk's shoulder a friendly pat. Meanwhile, Musk, sporting a black blazer and t-shirt emblazoned with the letter 'X', was seen pumping his fists in the air. The atmosphere was electric as Melania and Barron smiled nearby, and onlookers joined the merriment, taking photos and clapping along.
Yaakov Safar, who also attended the event as a guest, remarked on the exceptional vibe at the gathering. “Trump and Elon walked around the room, stopped at each table, and spoke to all the guests,” he noted. He described Trump's genuine interest as the former president engaged with various guests throughout the evening.
During the celebration, Musk took to social media to share his experiences, posting another clip of himself conversing with Trump ally Sylvester Stallone. He tweeted about how much he enjoyed revisiting the classic film Demolition Man, marveling at its foresight on the current state of society. Musk's posts underscored the convivial atmosphere of the dinner.
Beyond the festivities, Musk's continuing close association with Trump is worth noting, especially with the upcoming transition of power. Musk has been selected to lead the new “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. This segue, of course, has raised eyebrows due to Musk’s extensive existing government contracts, igniting discussions around potential conflicts of interest.
Throughout the presidential transition, Musk has reportedly been spending considerable time at Trump’s lavish Florida club, even eliciting some playful banter from Trump at the America First Policy Institute Gala. During his speech, Trump quipped, “He likes this place. I can’t get him out of here. He just likes this place.” The camaraderie was audible as Musk sat precisely to the right of the podium, listening attentively.
Musk's involvement with Trump is not limited to casual gatherings. He has been present during significant calls with world leaders, often offering his insights and recommendations on staffing matters to Trump. Notably, Musk was alongside Trump when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called to offer congratulations on the election results. The conversation was transcribed onto speakerphone, with Zelensky thanking Musk personally for the communications support provided to Ukraine via Musk's Starlink internet service.
Interestingly, Musk is not the only tech mogul seen socializing with the Trumps. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was also spotted at Mar-a-Lago recently, yet the bond Musk appears to share with Trump borders on familial. Just the day after the election, Musk appeared prominently in a photo posted by Trump’s granddaughter Kai, who affectionately labeled him with “uncle status” — oddly endearing for two men often contrasted for their differing public personas.
This Thanksgiving affair at Mar-a-Lago not only highlights Musk's increasing proximity to Trump but also hints at Trump's potential re-establishment of key alliances as he moves forward after the election. With Musk taking on perceived power within Trump's inner circle, observers are left to ponder the direction of technology and government interaction moving forward. How will Musk's role evolve with Trump's administration, and what does it mean for the future of innovation and policy? Only time will tell, but the outcomes could very well shape the national discourse for years to come.
With this uniquely intertwined relationship laid out at the Thanksgiving table, it’s clear the holiday gathering has much broader ramifications than just turkey and trimmings. The sky might often seem the limit when it’s Musk at the helm of technology radicalism and Trump steering the political course, where the stakes are as high as the expectations following this high-profile partnership.
