WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump expressed admiration for Elon Musk and other key figures in his upcoming administration on Thursday morning after participating in the ceremonial opening of the New York Stock Exchange.

During a conversation with CNBC’s Jim Cramer shortly after the event, Trump referred to Musk—who he has appointed as the co-leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency—as a “really good guy.”

“I suppose his stock is performing quite well,” Trump noted, alluding to Musk’s company, Tesla, which is publicly traded on the stock exchange. At 53 years old, Musk is currently the richest individual in the world, boasting an estimated net worth exceeding $400 billion.

Trump went on to commend the stock market’s performance over recent months, asserting that “everyone’s stock has done well since the election.”

He also praised Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager he has nominated to head the Treasury Department.

“What I appreciated about Scott is that he noted long before I even knew him that the market was thriving because people believed I was going to win,” Trump shared with Cramer. “So we appointed Scott as the Treasury Secretary.”

Neither Musk nor Bessent accompanied Trump during the Stock Exchange event.

Trump officiated the opening of the trading markets to commemorate his recent recognition as TIME magazine’s Person of the Year. He stood beneath a banner showcasing his cover while waving and smiling at a crowd of business leaders, who chanted “U-S-A.”

This marks the second occasion Trump has been recognized as Person of the Year, the first being in 2016 following his initial successful presidential campaign.

In preparation for his upcoming administration, Trump informed Cramer that influential business figures like Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos have reached out for meetings with him.

“I have so many connections, it’s almost overwhelming,” Trump remarked. He mentioned that he has already met with Zuckerberg and intends to discuss matters with Bezos next week.

Trump was joined by a delegation at the Stock Exchange, which included Vice President-elect JD Vance, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, and his wife, Melania, as he stood alongside NYSE President Lynn Martin.

<p“I’ve always believed that the stock market is of great significance—it’s incredibly important to me,” Trump remarked. “It’s a privilege to be here at the New York Stock Exchange.”