Elon Musk spent roughly $250 million to support Donald Trump, including $20 million on a PAC to soften his abortion stance.
According to Daily Mail, the "First Buddy" and Mar-a-Lago regular, the richest man in the world is now co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk spent $40.5 million on the famed sweepstakes, which paid $1 million a day to someone who signed a Constitutional petition. As the election approached its conclusion, Musk was sending $25 million a week to his America PAC.
Musk's $20 million Ruth Bader Ginsburg PAC was maybe his most fascinating idea. The RBG PAC's website included photographs of Trump and Ginsburg with the tagline "Great Minds Think Alike" to insinuate they agreed on abortion legality.
Trump's Supreme Court justices overturned Roe vs. Wade in the Dobbs decision, making the issue vulnerable before the election.
It was only revealed recently by FEC filings reported by the New York Times that Musk was behind the PAC, though its leader May Mailman hinted at it by defending Musk in the media.
In October, Ginsburg's daughter called the ads "nothing short of appalling" and said they suggested that her grandmother and Trump agreed.
Musk spent $239 million, which is little change for someone with wealth. Musk may have given to dark money groups that don't have to report their donations until 2024.
Investing $12 million in the Senate Leadership Fund and Sentinel Action Fund helped Republicans reclaim the Senate.
On November 12, long after Trump had defeated Kamala Harris, he gave $4 million to America PAC to maintain his vow to stay in politics. PAC funds were mostly used to recruit voters and hire personnel to support Trump.
Musk has emerged as a strong counselor and gatekeeper in the early hours of the Trump transition. He attended Trump and his family's election night party at Mar-a-Lago and has since met with him to determine his Cabinet.
Trump appointed Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to "dismantle" the $6.5 trillion bureaucracy by targeting federal government personnel and reducing needless rules and spending.
Musk and Ramaswamy discussed DOGE with legislators for hours on Thursday. Musk reportedly informed Republican members at a confidential Capitol meeting that they will maintain a "naughty and nice" list of those who support budget cuts and those who do not.
His "Save America" program for a second term in office includes the effort. Musk and Ramaswamy left legislators with the notion they would return, conducting frequent meetings and creating a podcast or other mechanism to share information with Americans to assess public support for the initiatives.
Despite lacking public service experience, Musk and Ramaswamy have extensive federal contracts in their private businesses and a passion for Trump's vision, having campaigned with him in the last stretch.
Musk and Maye celebrated Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago with the Trumps and Sylvester Stallone. One component of his growing political strength is his X platform, a massive internet presence that may influence politics worldwide.
Musk has been in Mar-a-Lago frequently since Trump won and praised him onstage. He even called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Trump.
After Trump's Butler, Pennsylvania rally murder attempt on July 13, Musk backed him. On October 5, the SpaceX, X, and Tesla CEO joined Trump on the campaign road, leaping onstage at Butler.
Musk's political expenditures and engagement have elicited divisive responses online.
"Elon Musk's $250M on Trump isn't philanthropy; it's an investment in influence. #PowerPlay," a netizen wrote.
"First Mars, now Mar-a-Lago? Musk's priorities are... something else. #ElonAndTrump," another said.
"Using Ginsburg's legacy to soften Trump's abortion stance is beyond disrespectful. Shameful," a third chimed in.
"Musk is exactly what we need: innovation and efficiency in politics. This is exciting!" a fan said.
"$250M for Trump's campaign when people are struggling? Musk, read the room," a netizen said.
"Can Musk just stick to rockets and leave politics alone? This feels like overreach," another wrote.
Business Times has reached out to Elon Musk for comments.
