Trump names tech advisory council without Musk despite $250M backing

President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a new science and technology advisory council that includes some of Silicon Valley's most recognizable names — while pointedly excluding Elon Musk, who contributed more than $250 million to Trump's election campaign.

The omission lays bare a reported rupture between Trump and Musk — once among the president's closest allies — and sharpens questions about which tech figures now hold direct White House access as the administration shapes policy on artificial intelligence and U.S. technological competitiveness.

The White House announced the council will include Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and software executive Larry Ellison, according to The Korea Times.

"The council will make recommendations to the president on how to strengthen American leadership in science and technology," the White House said, according to The Korea Times.

Musk's absence stood out given his deep involvement in Trump's political rise. The Korea Times reported that Musk had been one of Trump's closest confidants during the opening months of the president's second term, but the two fell into conflict over a dispute involving a tax law.

The Korea Times reported that some signs of a thaw have appeared, though the degree of intimacy the men previously shared has not returned. Musk, the world's wealthiest person, continues to run Tesla, SpaceX and an array of other ventures.

Also left off the council were Apple CEO Tim Cook and OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, according to The Korea Times.

The council's creation reflects the Trump administration's effort to draw top industry voices directly into federal deliberations over scientific research priorities and technological competition, The Korea Times reported.