Elon Musk’s support for Donald Trump in the US presidential election will give him a unique opportunity to reshape the federal government by bringing supporters and allies into the new administration and offset the risk of increased regulation of his companies, the Financial Times reports.

Musk has previously spoken about his intention to cut $2 trillion from the US budget, reduce the “huge bureaucracy” by hundreds of thousands of people, and abolish rules that, in his words, hinder innovation. To maintain control over his companies Tesla, X, SpaceX, xAI, and Neuralink, Musk plans to influence government agencies by appointing trusted officials, engineers, financial backers, and ideological allies to strategic positions.

SpaceX is currently facing regulatory challenges, including delays in obtaining expedited launch permits in California and Florida and an inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration. Musk’s influence with the new administration could add weight to his criticism of regulators, including the FCC, which previously canceled an $886 million deal with SpaceX to provide rural broadband over concerns about speed and reliability.

Musk has also advocated that two SpaceX executives – former Air Force General Terrence O’Shaughnessy and Government Relations Manager Tim Hughes – join the Defense Department. Other potential government appointees include Mat Dunn, SpaceX’s head of government relations, and key figures at Tesla who oversee autonomous driving and safety standards.

Tesla, Musk’s main company, has a difficult relationship with the Republican Party, which remains skeptical of electric vehicles. Musk wants to shift Tesla’s focus to artificial intelligence, robotic assistants, and self-driving cars. However, regulatory hurdles, including multiple investigations into Tesla’s driver assistance technology, are delaying his ambitious rollout of robotaxis.

Among Musk’s allies preparing to join the new administration are prominent figures from his network in Silicon Valley, including Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir, and Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril, who is also in talks with Trump’s transition team and has expressed his willingness to participate in the new administration.