Elon Musk Sees Trump’s Economic Plans Causing ‘Temporary Hardship’

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has become perhaps the most prominent business backer of Donald J. Trump’s campaign. But even he has doubts that the former president’s economic plans will swiftly supercharge the United States economy.

Mr. Trump has called for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, an extension of his 2017 tax cuts and an array of additional tax cuts. He is also promising blanket tariffs on all imports.

Budget experts have estimated these policies could cost as much as $15 trillion over a decade, although Mr. Trump says that economic growth and eliminating government waste would easily cover those costs.

But Mr. Musk realizes that it will not be so simple.

As part of his endless stream of replies to fans on his social media platform that go late into the night, Mr. Musk replied to a pseudonymous account early on Tuesday morning that posited that there would be an “initial severe overreaction in the economy” and that the “market will tumble” if Mr. Trump is elected and follows through on his plan. Afterward, the account said, “There will be a rapid recovery to a healthier, sustainable economy.”

Mr. Musk replied at 1:46 a.m. with three words: “Sounds about right.”

Mr. Musk’s words on the economy matter given that Mr. Trump has said he would appoint the billionaire to oversee a new “government efficiency commission” focused on cutting spending if the former president wins on Nov. 5.