Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, made substantial financial contributions to Donald Trump’s election campaign, totaling more than $250 million, according to recent U.S. Federal Election Commission filings. The records, submitted on Thursday, revealed that Musk donated more than $238.5 million to America Pac, a political action committee (PAC) he established himself. This PAC emerged as one of the primary fundraising vehicles for Trump’s campaign.
Musk made three separate donations of $25 million each
The filings also indicated that Musk made three separate donations of $25 million each to America Pac in October alone, just weeks before the election.
In addition to his support for America Pac, Musk donated $20.5 million to the pro-Trump RBG Pac, a political action committee named after the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Musk’s contributions to RBG Pac pushed his total financial backing of Trump’s campaign beyond $259 million. Notably, the filings show Musk was the only donor to RBG Pac.
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The extent of Musk’s financial support underscores his deep commitment to securing a victory for Trump in the November election. Over time, Musk’s alliance with the president-elect has only grown stronger. Last month, he was appointed to lead a project, alongside former Trump rival Vivek Ramaswamy, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the federal government.
In a further sign of Musk’s influence, on Thursday, Trump appointed his ally, venture capitalist David Sacks, as the White House’s new tsar for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency.
Elon Musk contributions and controversy around RBG Pac
RBG Pac’s existence has sparked controversy, particularly regarding its use of the name of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a progressive icon known for advocating gender equality and women’s rights. Ginsburg’s family has publicly distanced itself from any association with the Trump campaign.
Justice Ginsburg passed away in September 2020 and was replaced by Trump’s nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, shortly before that year’s presidential election. RBG Pac’s website has been criticized for displaying images of Trump and Ginsburg, along with the slogan “Great minds think alike,” suggesting shared views on issues like a federal ban on abortion. This claim has been particularly controversial as Ginsburg was a staunch supporter of individual choice on abortion and had vocally criticized Trump during his presidency.
America Pac’s Role in battleground states
Musk’s establishment of America Pac in mid-2024 was aimed at supporting Trump in key battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Michigan. Musk publicly endorsed Trump in July after the Republican candidate survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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