Mark Cuban and Elon Musk.
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Billionaire investor Mark Cuban warned Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Sunday against forming an alliance with former President Donald Trump, because the Republican presidential candidate may not ultimately pay off his political debts.
“Elon, there will come a time when you need something from Donald Trump,” Cuban wrote in X’s post to his fellow billionaire. “You will think you have earned the right to ask and receive. You have been a loyal and loyal soldier to him.”
“At this point, I needed him the most,” Cuban continued. “You will discover what many have learned before, which is that his loyalty is only to himself.
Cuban's letter came in response to a previous Company X post from Musk in which the SpaceX CEO amplified a variety of conspiracy theories about Democrats encouraging immigration to battleground states as a “surefire way to win every election.”
“If Trump is not elected, this will be the last election,” Musk wrote.
Musk's endorsement of Trump is a stark reversal from 2022 when he publicly insulted the former president on social media.
Cuban's warning to Musk, from one billionaire to another, alluded to an implicit bid for a government favor provided by wealthy political supporters when they hitch their wagon to a presidential candidate.
The two billionaires are on opposite sides of the presidential race this election cycle. But both business leaders have their eye on some level of regulatory oversight.
Cuban believes Trump may not follow through on this exchange with Musk.
Cuban has become an outspoken alternative to Vice President Kamala Harris and her economic agenda. In recent weeks, he has regularly defended Harris as “best for business,” even amid some skepticism about her plan to raise corporate tax rates.
As Cuban increases his public support, he is also keeping an eye on a potential new job opportunity at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“I told her team, 'Put my name in the SEC, it needs to change,'” Cuban said on CNBC's “Squawk Box” earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Musk is looking for a new job of his own. Musk has repeatedly proposed creating a so-called Government Efficiency Commission to crack down on federal spending if Trump wins a second term in the White House. He has raised his hand to lead such an agency.
Earlier this month, Trump endorsed the idea of a government efficiency commission and suggested Musk would be a “good person” to lead it.
But the Republican nominee warned that Musk, a busy CEO of multiple companies, may not have enough time for the job, but he could “consult.”
