Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has reportedly donated to a political action committee (PAC) aimed at electing former President Donald Trump. The donation to America PAC, which can collect unlimited contributions for political activities, is described as “sizable” by individuals familiar with the matter. The PAC is required to disclose its donors by July 15.
Musk, who has been vocal in his criticism of President Joe Biden, has previously denied backing any presidential candidates. On March 6, Musk stated on social media, “Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President.”
Well you should and you know it.
— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) March 7, 2024
In March, Trump met with Musk and other affluent donors, leading Musk to declare publicly that he had not made any donations to presidential campaigns. Again denying political involvement in May, Musk refuted reports suggesting he could serve in an advisory role under a potential Trump administration.
Historically, Musk has not been a heavy political donor, although he has financially supported “uniparty” Republican and Democratic politicians, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Marco Rubio, George W. Bush, and John Kerry. His companies, Tesla and SpaceX, have benefited from federal contracts and subsidies.
Musk’s relationship with the Biden government has been strained since Tesla was excluded from a White House electric vehicle summit in 2021. Following this, Musk encouraged his social media followers to vote Republican in the 2022 midterms. After acquiring Twitter in 2022, Musk reinstated Trump’s account.