**Elon Musk May Influence Trump's Stance on Climate and Clean Energy**

Elon Musk has consistently positioned himself as an advocate for the environment and strong supporter of climate action. However, his enthusiastic support for President-elect Donald J. Trump has raised questions about the potential impact of Musk's views on the new administration's climate and energy policies.

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump exhibited a noticeable shift in his stance toward electric vehicles, coinciding with his growing camaraderie with Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla. Previously, Trump had frequently criticized plug-in cars and even vowed to halt their sales. Yet, by the summer, his rhetoric began to soften. Speaking in Michigan, Trump asserted, "I'm constantly talking about electric vehicles, but I don't mean I'm against them. I'm totally for them. I've driven them and they are incredible, but they're not for everybody."

Musk took some credit for this apparent shift in Trump's perspective. Addressing Tesla shareholders in a June meeting, Musk said, "I can be persuasive." He mentioned that many of Trump's friends had Teslas and were enthusiastic about them, adding that Trump himself was a "huge fan of the Cybertruck." Musk suggested these factors might have influenced Trump's changing views.

Elon Musk, who spent election night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, even posed for a group photo with the president-elect's family. As Trump prepares to take office, Musk is expected to have significant access to the White House in the coming months. Given that Musk’s companies, Tesla and SpaceX, already benefit significantly from government contracts and federal policies, Musk is likely to push for continued and perhaps expanded support for his business ventures.