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Elon Musk started his career back in the ’90s by founding major tech companies, including X.com, which eventually became PayPal. Decades later, the South African now owns X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX, Tesla, and more, making him the richest man in the world with a net worth of $343 billion, according to Forbes.
Throughout Musk’s financial rise, he has been no stranger to controversy. However, he still has maintained a few solid friendships over the years.
Here is everything to know about Elon Musk’s inner circle.
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Donald Trump
Musk has been seen a lot more with Donald Trump in late 2024, as Trump plans to give Musk a position on his cabinet after winning the presidential election. Musk will be leading the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, which is intended to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies,” according to a social media statement from Trump (via BBC). The publication also points out that Musk referred to the new agency as “the only path to extending life beyond Earth.”
On August 13, 2024, Musk invited Trump to have a live discussion on X (formerly Twitter), where the president elect called Tesla a “great” company, according to BBC. Most recently, Musk joined Trump’s Thanksgiving dinner, where the two sat next to each other and performed “YMCA” in a viral moment.
Peter Thiel
Given Musk’s power and origins in Silicon Valley, along with the eventual PayPal/X.com merger, it’s no surprise that he’s close friends with the original co-founder, Peter Thiel. The businessman would also co-found Palantir Technologies, a data analysis firm, and Thiel still serves as the chairman. Thiel has also supported other prominent tech companies over the years, including as Facebook’s first outside investor in 2004, according to The Washington Post.
After the election, Thiel discussed on the Honestly podcast that Musk’s alignment with Trump is encouraging other Silicon Valley leaders to be open about their right-wing views, pointing out, “There was some degree to which it was safer for people to speak out when other people were speaking out.” Thiel had donated to the Trump campaign in 2016, according to Business Insider.
Talulah Riley
Pride and Prejudice actress Talulah Riley first married Musk in 2010, but the couple would go on to divorce in 2012. However, the two would try again and remarry in 2013. Although they eventually divorced again in 2016 and Riley went on to marry actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster, it seems things are still amicable between the two exes.
“Well, you know more than anyone how what we read in the mainstream media is not necessarily an absolute truth,” Riley told The Times in August 2024. “I loved/love the guy, so I’m incredibly subjective in my opinion, cannot be unbiased and shouldn’t be expected to be either. I’m sure, well… You know what being in love is, right?”
Joe Rogan
Podcast host Joe Rogan has been a close orbiter of Musk as well. Musk appeared on a November 2024 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast and has been a rotational guest over the years, joining for five episodes in total. During the November episode, the duo discussed the death of Peanut the squirrel, who was euthanized by New York state officials.