Why Elon Musk is paying $2,000 a night at Mar-a-Lago to stay close to Donald Trump

Prior to the 2024 US election, Elon Musk went all in on Donald Trump.

The world’s richest man gave Trump hundreds of millions of dollars and even campaigned with him in swing states.

Ever since the election, Musk, who has proclaimed himself ‘First Buddy,’ has been a constant presence at Trump’s side.

Now, Musk’s $2,000 (Rs 1.7 lakh) per night stay at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida is gaining attention.

But what do we know?

Let’s take a closer look:

Musk moves into Mar-a-Lago

As per The New York Times, Musk is currently staying at Banyan cottage at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

The cottage is walking distance from Trump’s main house on the property.

The newspaper reported that Musk shifted into the cottage around Election Day.

He then watched the US results come in with Trump.

The move has given Musk unprecedented access to Trump during the transition.

Musk has been able to attend important meetings of the Trump transition team including policy discussions, personnel meetings and phone calls with foreign leaders.

It also allows him to unexpectedly drop in on the US President-elect during his dinners.

Musk recently did so when Trump was dining with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

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The newspaper reported that the Musk “was not initially expected to be part of the dinner but joined as it was underway.”

As per The Independent, Musk has brought his children and their nannies with him to the Mar-a-Lago estate.

Musk is also known to request meals outside the timings of Mar-a-Lago’s kitchen.

Musk left the property around Christmas but is expected to return shortly.

This isn’t the first time an acquaintance of Trump has used the cottage.

Ex-House Speaker Boehner stayed at Banyan with a friend a few years before Trump ran for president.

Trump has bragged to people that Musk is “renting” the cottage.

Sources told the newspaper the luxury cottage costs around $2,000 per night.

It remains to be seen how much Musk ultimately forks out for the cottage given that Mar-a-Lago guests are billed only at the end of their stay.

But Trump isn’t averse to making a quick buck.

According to Rolling Stone, Trump previously overinflated prices on his properties when he was commander-in-chief.

For example, he charged the Secret Service as much as five times as the government rate for agents traveling with him and his family during his visits to Mar-a-Lago and his other hotels when he was president.

Trump is said to have increased the annual membership fee at Mar-a-Lago to $1 million.

Musk isn’t alone either.

Vice President-elect JD Vance, among others, has also rented out one of the cottages at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, as per The New York Times.

Trump on Friday, in a Truth Social post, urged Musk to return to Mar-a-Lago.

Trump wrote: “Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT.”

The X in Trump’s post referred to Musk’s four-year-old-son.

Rolling Stone quoted Trump staff as saying that the post was intended to be a private missive.

Trump-Musk bromance going strong

The Trump-Musk bromance seems to be going strong.

Trump on Saturday sided with key supporter and billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk in a public dispute over the use of the H-1B visa, saying he fully backs the program for foreign tech workers opposed by some of his supporters.

Trump’s remarks followed a series of social media posts from Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who vowed late Friday to go to “war” to defend the visa program for foreign tech workers.

Trump, who moved to limit the visas’ use during his first presidency, told The New York Post on Saturday he was likewise in favour of the visa program.

“I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” he was quoted as saying.

Musk, a naturalised US citizen born in South Africa, has held an H-1B visa, and his electric-car company Tesla obtained 724 of the visas this year. H-1B visas are typically for three-year periods, though holders can extend them or apply for green cards.

Trump has promised to deport all immigrants who are in the US illegally, deploy tariffs to help create more jobs for American citizens and severely restrict immigration.

With inputs from agencies