WASHINGTON: Elon Musk gave around $75 million to his pro-Donald Trump spending group in the span of three months, federal disclosures showed on Tuesday, Reuters news agency reported.
This underscores how the billionaire has become crucial to the Republican candidate’s efforts to win the Nov. 5 presidential election, according to Reuters news agency. America PAC, which aims to mobilize voters in closely contested states, spent around $72 million during the July-September period, making it the largest pro-Trump PAC focused on voter turnout. The Trump campaign relies heavily on outside groups for canvassing, giving Musk’s super PAC—founded by the world’s richest man—a significant influence in the tight race against Democrat Kamala Harris.
Musk, the CEO of Tesla, was the sole donor to the PAC during this timeframe. Although he has previously voted for Democratic candidates, Musk has shifted to a more conservative stance this election, endorsing Trump in July and appearing with him at a recent rally in Pennsylvania. On Wednesday, he announced plans to hold a series of talks across Pennsylvania, inviting attendees to sign up through the America PAC website.
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Musk’s donations position him among prominent Republican mega donors, including Timothy Mellon and Miriam Adelson. It was also reported that Musk has secretly funded a conservative political group for years before publicly supporting Trump.
America PAC aims to encourage Trump supporters who don’t usually vote to participate in this election cycle, but has faced challenges in hiring and staffing. By the end of September, the PAC had around $4 million remaining. Meanwhile, Adelson donated $95 million to another pro-Trump PAC, Preserve America PAC, during the same period.
