By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-06 07:11:36 | Updated at 2024-12-22 15:58:40
2 weeks ago
Elon Musk spent nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Donald Trump, including a clever scheme that involved dropping $20 million on a PAC to soften the president-elect's image on abortion.
The richest man alive has become known as the 'First Buddy' and a regular fixture at Mar-a-Lago, not to mention his new position as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
About $40.5 million of Musk's money was spent on the infamous sweepstakes that awarded a $1 million a day to someone who signed a petition to support the Constitution.
At one point, as the race neared its end, Musk was cutting a check to his own America PAC to the tune of $25 million a week.
Perhaps Musk's most intriguing scheme was a $20 million PAC named for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The RBG PAC, whose website featured photos of Trump and the liberal justice side-by-side with the caption 'Great Minds Think Alike', attempted to suggest that the 45th president and Ginsburg agreed on abortion law.
The issue was considered a weakness for Trump in the run-up to the election, as Supreme Court justices appointed by him had delivered the Dobbs decision, effectively ending Roe vs. Wade.
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.
Elon Musk spent nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Donald Trump , including a clever scheme that involved dropping $20 million on a PAC to soften the president-elect's image on abortion
Trump takes the stage before speaking at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards on Thursday night
Ginsburg's family was furious about the adds, with her daughter putting out a statement in October saying it was 'nothing short of appalling' to suggest her grandmother and Trump were in sync on the issue.
The total spent by Musk when all was said and done amounted to around $239 million, albeit chump change for someone with the Tesla CEO's largesse.
That may not be the end of Musk's spending in 2024, as its possible he funded dark money groups that don't have to disclose what he donated.
He also gave $12 million to the Senate Leadership Fund and the Sentinel Action Fund, which worked to win the Senate back for the GOP.
In keeping with his promise to remain active in politics, he donated $4 million to America PAC on November 12, long past when Trump had been declared the winner over Kamala Harris.
The PAC funding largely went to engage voters on the ground and hire staff to get people to vote for Trump.
Musk has been establishing himself in the first hours of the Trump transition as a powerful advisor and gatekeeper with sweeping influence.
He was with Trump and his family members at their election night shindig at Mar-a-Lago and has since been seen in meetings with the president-elect as he figures out who's in his Cabinet.
Perhaps Musk's most intriguing scheme was a $20 million PAC named for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
It was only revealed recently by FEC filings reported that Musk was behind the PAC, though its leader May Mailman hinted at it by defending Musk in the media
Trump tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to 'dismantle' the $6.5 trillion bloated U.S. bureaucracy by heading the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
They plan to cut wasteful regulations and spending by specifically targeting the number of federal government employees.
Musk and Ramaswamy spent several hours Thursday swapping ideas with lawmakers about the DOGE initiative.
Meeting behind closed doors at the Capitol, Musk told the mostly Republican lawmakers they would be keeping a 'naughty and nice' list of those who join in the budget slashing proposals and those who don´t, according to lawmakers who attended.
The initiative all part of what he calls his 'Save America' agenda for a second term in the White House.
Musk and Ramaswamy left lawmakers with the impression they would be back for more, holding regular meetings and starting a podcast or some other way to share information with Americans to gauge public support - or opposition - to the proposals.
While neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much public service experience, they bring track records in private business - Musk's operations have vast government contracts - and enthusiasm for Trump's agenda, having campaigned alongside him in the final stretch of the election.
Musk and his mother Maye also spent Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago with the Trump family and Sylvester Stallone.
Trump tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to 'dismantle' the $6.5 trillion bloated U.S. bureaucracy by heading the newly created Department of Government Efficiency
Musk officially endorsed Trump on the heels of the July 13 assassination attempt on the Republican at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally
The use of his X platform - a vast online presence capable of influencing politics around the world - is only part of his expanding political power.
Musk has been spotted repeatedly at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the election and thanked him onstage election night.
And he even joined Trump on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Musk officially endorsed Trump on the heels of the July 13 assassination attempt on the Republican at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally.
The SpaceX, X and Tesla head joined Trump on the campaign trail on October 5 when the now president-elect returned to the Butler venue - memorably jumping around onstage.
