Imagine for a second that you are in the Casa Blanca and the US President himself appears alongside five gleaming Tesla electric cars, holding a promotional sheet as if he were selling televisions in Black Friday. Sounds strange, right? Well, this situation happened recently with Donald Trump and Elon Musk as protagonists, putting the delicate ones in the foreground conflicts of interest that surround the new US government, especially in sectors such as cryptocurrencies, technology and entertainment.
Tesla and the New Management: Friendship or Business?
Trump, known for breaking new ground in his public appearances, decided to go further this time: he presented Tesla vehicles, highlighting their economic and technological advantages in front of the cameras, like a true salesman. Elon Musk, who seems more like a businessman than a businessman "official guru" of the Administration, was there enjoying the free publicity (and invaluable).
Conflict of interest? Officially no, according to the White House, although experts such as Kathleen Clark, a law professor, warn that a president openly promoting products of business friends does raise serious ethical questions. Especially when Musk runs companies with multi-million dollar public contracts like Tesla and SpaceX.
To better understand this: Tesla, which emerged driven in part with public money ($465 million from the Obama era), could now directly benefit from Trump's support on key issues such as federal regulation on autonomous vehiclesCoincidence or strategy?
Elon Musk: From Visionary Entrepreneur to Controversial Public Official
After the closeness with Trump, Tesla shares rose more than a 120%, but not everything was joy on Wall Street: they quickly fell under the controversial decisions of Musk from his new role in the Administration, such as massive cuts and budget adjustments which drew strong criticism from consumers and political opponents.
Musk's unique style isn't limited to the automotive sector. He's also making a strong entrance in the crypto world: Dogecoin (DOGE), the entrepreneur's favorite meme coin, became an indicator of his financial mood, and there was even speculation about the possibility of buying Tesla cars with this cryptocurrency.
Trump and Cryptocurrencies: Real Opportunity or Just a Fad?
Barely having won the elections, Trump launched $TRUMP, a meme coin with no technological basis but that became worth 15.000 million, driven by a social media frenzy. This short-lived trend attracted millions of dollars in investment to its promoters, generating inevitable controversy.
But it doesn't end there: his administration stands out for being the most «crypto-friendly» from American history. For example:
- David SacksTrump's "crypto czar," is a major investor in firms that manage large crypto portfolios.
- Senior officials such as Scott Bessent (Treasure) or Robert Kennedy (Health) have million-dollar investments in Bitcoin.
- Howard Lutnick, responsible for trade, is a firm supporter of Tether, the controversial stablecoin whose backing still generates controversy.
And what about conflicts of interest?
The Trump administration has not yet clarified how it will manage these such complex financial connections, which raises more questions than answers. Are public policies influenced by the private interests of the president and his allies? The recent «cryptosummit» organized by Trump at the White House with figures such as the twins Winklevoss only fuels these doubts.
But the conflicts go beyond the crypto world. For example, Melania Trump signed a multi-million dollar contract with Amazon for a documentary about his return to the White House, something that many consider questionable. Another example is Social Truth, the social network launched by Trump after his expulsion from Twitter, managed by his children and converted into the official voice of his decisions.
Where is this scenario going?
We are in delicate times, in which the border between politics and business seems more diffuse than ever. To what extent should these links be allowed? Are we facing a new form of corporate governance?
If one thing is clear, it is that in a market as dynamic and sensitive as that of cryptocurrencies, , these types of relationships can radically transform the rules of the game.
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