Musk's millions for Trump make him biggest US political donor
By Afp
December 7, 2024
(FILES) US President-elect Donald Trump (L) and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk watch a fight during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 16, 2024. - AFP PICWASHINGTON: Tech billionaire Elon Musk spent at least US$270million to help Donald Trump win the US presidency, according to new federal filings, making him the country's biggest political donor.
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Musk, the world's richest person, was an ardent supporter of Trump's White House campaign – funneling money into door knocking operations and speaking at his rallies.
His financial backing, which has earned him a cost-cutting advisory role in Trump's incoming government, surpassed spending by any single political donor since at least 2010, according to data from nonprofit OpenSecrets.
The Washington Post reported that Musk spent more this election cycle than Trump backer Tim Mellon, who gave nearly US$200million and was previously the Republican's top donor.
Musk donated US$238million to America PAC, a political action committee that he founded to support Trump, filings late Thursday with the Federal Election Commission showed.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk with his son on his shoulders and Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (2R) arrive at the US Capitol on December 5, 2024 in Washington, DC. - AFP PICAn additional US$20million went to the RBG PAC, a group that used advertising to soften Trump's hardline reputation on the key voter issue of abortion.
Musk has been an ever-present sidekick for Trump since his election victory in November, inviting him to watch a rocket launch in Texas by his SpaceX company.
Trump has selected the South African-born tycoon and fellow ally Vivek Ramaswamy to head the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, through which the pair have promised to deliver billions of dollars of cuts in federal spending.
However, with Musk's businesses all having varying degrees of interactions with US and foreign governments, his new position also raises concerns about conflict of interest.
The president-elect has nominated several people close to Musk for roles in his administration, including investor David Sacks as the so-called AI and crypto czar.
Meanwhile, billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman, who has collaborated with Musk's SpaceX, was named the head of US space agency NASA.
