(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump is planning to attend the launch of Elon Musk’s Starship rocket in Texas on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter, a nod to the billionaire entrepreneur’s growing role in the president-elect’s political sphere.
The launch of SpaceX’s massive rocket designed to eventually take people to the moon and Mars is the latest event the duo has attended, following a Saturday night Ultimate Fighting Championship match in Madison Square Garden. Musk has played a prominent role in Trump’s presidential transition since his White House win two weeks ago, weighing in on potential cabinet picks and sitting in on phone calls with foreign leaders.
Tuesday’s launch will be the sixth test flight of the Starship rocket. Trump has frequently showered Musk with praise at his rallies, oftentimes describing in great detail his awe watching SpaceX rockets.
The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment. The Associated Press first reported Trump’s planned attendance at the event.
Trump’s presence at the launch marks the start of what could be a significant payoff for Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla Inc. chief executive officer, who spent more than $130 million on the president-elect’s White House bid and other Republican candidates. The world’s richest person personally campaigned on behalf of Trump in key swing-state Pennsylvania, which the incoming president ultimately won.
Trump’s win has boosted Tesla’s share price, helping grow Musk’s net worth to balloon to more than $300 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Trump has also said Musk, alongside former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, an amorphous entity that will recommend federal spending cuts.
“He’s a character. He’s a special guy. He’s a super genius,” Trump said about Musk during his victory speech on election night. “We have to protect our geniuses. We don’t have that many of them.”
--With assistance from Loren Grush and Dana Hull.
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