Former President Donald Trump says he would put Elon Musk in his cabinet if the world’s richest person had the bandwidth, adding that that it was likelier that he’d involve the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX chief executive officer as a federal cost-cutting consultant.

"I’d put him into cabinet, absolutely, but I don’t know how he could do that with all the things he’s got going,” said Trump, speaking in an interview with former Navy Seal Shawn Ryan and praising Musk as a genius. "But he could sort of, as the expression goes, ‘consult’ with the country and give you some very good ideas, like on AI,” he said.

"What he really would like to do is get involved in cutting some of the fat, and he does know how to do it,” Trump added, in the interview posted online Monday.

The musings are the latest chapter in the Trump-Musk saga, which also included a lengthy, albeit glitchy, discussion between the two earlier this month on Musk’s social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. In that, Musk - who has increasingly aligned himself with right-leaning figures and causes - called for a government commission reviewing federal expenditures.

"I’d be happy to help out on such a commission,” he said.

Trump said he’s in favor of the idea, labeling Musk the "greatest cutter.”

As of Aug 26, the Trump-Musk interview had been viewed more than 275 million times, according to X, though that figure captures users who simply scroll past it. Actual audience size, particularly extended viewership, is likely far lower. Trump instead said it was higher, telling Ryan that he heard 750 million people - more than double the US population - listened to his chat with Musk.

Musk endorsed Trump for president last month. He also created a super political action committee to support Trump’s reelection effort.

Musk has taken on a more active role in Washington in recent years, with his companies boasting sizable government contracts. Musk is poised to be an even bigger player if Trump returns to power. He’s grown closer to the GOP nominee, advising him on electric vehicles and cryptocurrency policy - a reversal from a once-rocky relationship that saw the two publicly trade insults.

 - Bloomberg