Perth/Washington | Mining magnate Gina Rinehart met privately with tech billionaire and Donald Trump backer Elon Musk in the days after the US election, discussing government spending cuts, freedom of speech and the fate of internet sensation P’Nut the squirrel.
In a statement to AFR Weekend, Ms Rinehart confirmed she met the Tesla founder and owner of social media platform X in Florida on the morning after Trump’s election win, and said he is intent on pushing “the right of free speech” in Australia.
The chairman of mining giant Hancock Prospecting said she congratulated Mr Musk on his likely appointment to a key position in Trump’s incoming administration, where he is expected to be handed responsibility for “government efficiency”.
“It gave me the opportunity to thank him for his loyal, steadfast support of President Trump despite all the lies and misrepresentations and worse that was thrown at the president (that’s what real friendship is),” Ms Rinehart said in the statement.
“[It was] a chance to congratulate Elon on his leadership to drive an office of government efficiency, to cut government waste, this being much needed in Australia too. Both countries running huge debts, which leads to higher taxation, high interest and inflation, affecting us all, so very important to cut government waste as Elon advocates.”
Ms Rinehart said the pair discussed the encroachment of government on personal rights and freedoms, and referenced the capture and euthanasia of a pet squirrel named P’Nut in New York last month.
The tale of P’Nut was an example of “growing government intrusion and less individual freedom”, she said.
“A rescued orphan squirrel, loved by its owners for seven years, and loved by many P’Nut followers on the internet, clearly devoid of rabies, but four government authorities and a New York judge later, and 10 to 12 government employees raided their home, searched or ransacked their home for five hours, capturing the loved P’Nut and Fred their raccoon too.
“They were treated as though they were drug dealers, their privacy was grossly invaded, and the big hand of government decapitated both of their pets.”
According to reports, P’Nut was an orphaned squirrel that New York man Mark Longo took in and built into a social media star with photos including the animal wearing a tiny cowboy hat. But late last month state conservation officials took P’Nut and a raccoon Mr Longo was keeping at his home, which requires a permit.
Officials said the two animals were euthanised so they could be tested for rabies after P’Nut bit someone involved in the investigation. Trump running mate J.D. Vance brought P’Nut into the election campaign when he said at a rally that the animal’s fate was government overreach.
Ms Rinehart, a long-time Trump supporter, made several appearances at Trump events in the final days of the campaign.
She quietly attended a rally in Salem, Virginia, days before the election, was invited to an exclusive dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on election night, and rallied with Republican candidate and Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin.
Ms Rinehart is a critic of what she describes as burdensome and duplicative government regulation on energy and minerals. She said in a recent interview that Australia was “in a mess” and faced an “Argentina moment” unless it lessened its regulatory and tax burden.
Last week, Ms Rinehart attended New York-based Australian journalist Miranda Devine’s book launch, alongside Trump influencer Steve Bannon, and earlier this year received the US The Atlas Society’s lifetime achievement award – the first woman to receive the honour from the organisation, which promotes the philosophies of Ayn Rand.
Last year, the Palm Beach Daily News reported shell companies linked to Ms Rinehart were behind two property purchases in the Florida area. One of those was a $US60 million mansion bought off Apollo Global Management.