Elon Musk donates $75M and launches pro-Trump campaign tour in key swing states
Courtesy: AFP
MAGA billionaire Elon Musk has donated roughly $75 million to his pro-Donald Trump political action committee, America PAC, over the past three months, according to new filings with the Federal Election Commission.
The substantial contribution positions Musk among the Republican Party’s biggest financial backers, alongside donors like Miriam Adelson, who gave $95 million to her own pro-Trump PAC during the same period.
America PAC, the group Musk funds, has already spent about $72 million between July and September, focusing on ground game efforts rather than flashy ad campaigns.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and the world’s richest man, also plans to hit the road in Pennsylvania, giving a series of “talks” designed to rally voters while collecting valuable personal data that can be used for get-out-the-vote operations.
Musk took to his social media platform, X, to announce his upcoming events. “Tomorrow night through Monday, I will be giving a series of talks throughout Pennsylvania. If you’d like to attend one of my talks, there’s no attendance fee. You just need to have signed our petition supporting free speech & right to bear arms & have voted in this election,” he posted.
Sign our petition in defense of YOUR Constitutional rights to Free Speech & Bear Arms!
Goal is to get 1M voters in swing states to sign this petition.
For each registered swing state voter you refer that signs the petition, you get $47!https://t.co/PgHAgrmrv8— America (@america) October 6, 2024
To attend the events, participants must sign a “Petition in Favor of Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms,” providing their name, email, phone number, and mailing address.
The petition itself is largely symbolic, but it’s a clever method to gather voter data, which is highly valuable for campaigns like Musk’s America PAC.
This PAC is primarily focused on voter turnout in swing states like Pennsylvania, where Musk has been actively campaigning alongside Trump.
Musk’s PAC plays a crucial role in Trump’s election efforts, particularly as Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has outpaced Trump’s in fundraising.
Harris and her aligned committees have raised over $1 billion since she became the Democratic nominee less than three months ago, making Musk’s support pivotal for Trump’s success in battleground states.
Other billionaires supporting Trump’s bid include Illinois businessman Richard Uihlein and Wyoming banking heir Timothy Mellon.
However, despite Musk’s significant financial contributions, reports suggest that America PAC has faced internal challenges, including struggles in hiring and retaining canvassers in key states like Arizona and Nevada due to Musk’s hands-on approach.
As the 2024 election approaches, Musk’s America PAC is ramping up efforts to mobilize voters in critical swing states, which could have a major impact on the outcome of the election.