Founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos (L), US president-elect Donald Trump (Centre) and Tesla CEO Elon Musk (R).
Credit: Reuters Photos
President-elect Donald Trump had dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort Wednesday with Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, the world's two richest men and longtime business rivals who have cultivated relationships with the president-elect, according to two people briefed on the get-together.
Musk, who along with Trump was instrumental in tanking a bipartisan spending deal that was meant to avoid a government shutdown over the holidays, was not initially expected to be part of the dinner but joined as it was underway. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private dinner.
Musk, who is worth more than $450 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire's Index, and Bezos, who is worth about $240 billion, are among a string of tech billionaires who have flocked to Trump's Florida estate. Musk was a crucial supporter of Trump's bid for the presidency and is helping to lead a government cost-cutting effort for him, and Bezos' Amazon said last week it was giving $1 million to the committee planning Trump's inauguration.
Bezos, who founded both Amazon and Blue Origin and also owns The Washington Post, said at a New York Times DealBook conference this month that he was optimistic about Trump's return to the White House and that he has seen signs of a "calmer" president-elect.
Trump has basked in the glow of those who once criticized him or kept him at a distance rushing to forge relationships with him. Trump targeted Bezos from 2016 to 2020 over everything from headlines in the Post to Amazon's tax payments.
"The first term, everybody was fighting me," Trump said during a news conference Monday. "In this term, everybody wants to be my friend."
Bezos has also clashed with Musk. His rocket company, Blue Origin, will compete in the years ahead with Musk's SpaceX for government contracts worth billions.