Our latest mini series is here and this time we're profiling some of the key players in Donald Trump's presidency, who are now running America. Over the next few weeks, new profiles will drop every Sunday.

Elon Musk is one of the most influential people inside Trump's White House, as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is making huge and sweeping cuts to federal government. He's also the richest person in the world, and controls key companies in the United States including Space X and Tesla. We hear from two guests who know Elon Musk well - Jim Cantrell, who was on the founding team at Space X, and helped teach Elon Musk how to build space rockets, and the journalist and podcast host Molly Ball, who has profiled Musk.

From his early life in South Africa, to his business empire built on Tesla and Space X, what motivates Elon Musk and how did he become so aligned with Donald Trump? Also, how seriously should we take his obsession with Mars, and what is he like as a person?

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This episode was made by Keiligh Baker, Claire Betzer, George Dabby and Catherine Fusillo. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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