In his 2024 Presidential victory speech, Donald Trump highlighted Elon Musk as an American visionary, commending Musk’s technological achievements and the role he played in the campaign.
The speech appeared to have an impact on the market, as Tesla shares jumped nearly 15% the day after the election, reflecting renewed investor confidence in the tech sector.
During his address, Trump painted Musk as a “super genius” whose innovations have set a new standard in technology and space exploration.
“Oh, let me tell you, we have a new star. A star is born. Elon,” Trump said, recounting how Musk had recently launched and caught its SpaceX Starship booster, a feat Trump described with vivid admiration. “It was beautiful, shiny white going up, but when it came down, it was burning like hell,” Trump quipped, recalling how Musk humorously explained that no paint could withstand the intense heat.
Trump shared a story about how he had been watching one of Musk’s rocket landings while on an important call. Entranced by the landing, he put the call on hold to observe as the rocket slowly descended, appearing as if it would crash but then stabilizing and landing upright with precision. “Only Elon can do this,” Trump declared, adding that he asked Musk directly if any other nation could pull off such a feat, to which Musk replied that no one else could.
Trump also praised Musk for his swift response during Hurricane Helene, a storm that brought catastrophic flooding to North Carolina. He described how locals had reached out to him, requesting Musk’s help with communication as conventional networks had been destroyed.
The President also recounted calling Musk to ask about Starlink, the satellite internet system from SpaceX. “He had that there so fast, it was incredible,” Trump noted, emphasizing that Musk’s system saved lives by restoring communication in devastated areas. “He’s a special guy, a super genius. We have to protect our geniuses. We don’t have that many of them.”
With Trump now at the helm, it will prove to be positive for Tesla and SpaceX. Government approval of Full Self-Driving may accelerate, while delays on Starship launches for SpaceX may be a thing of the past. Musk says he also plans to work for free for the feds, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).