For the first 53 years of his life, Elon Musk barely spent any time with Donald J. Trump.
Then, beginning on the night of Nov. 5, he spent basically no time without him.
And so Mr. Musk, more than any other key player in the presidential transition, finds himself in a cram session to learn the courtier politics of Mr. Trump’s inner circle.
For the world’s richest person — not known for his humility or patience — it is a social engineering challenge far trickier and less familiar than heavy manufacturing or rocket science.
The answer, as discarded aides from Mr. Trump’s first term will tell you, may depend on Mr. Musk’s ability to placate the boss and keep a relatively low profile — but also to shiv a rival when the time comes.
Persons:
Elon Musk, Donald J, —, Trump’s, shiv
Organizations:
Trump
Locations:
Washington, Silicon