Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has become a prominent figure in the ongoing Pennsylvania presidential election. At a recent rally for Donald Trump, Musk was seen enthusiastically participating, wearing a custom black MAGA hat.Â
His involvement extends beyond physical appearances; Musk has been actively engaging on social media, posting AI-generated images critical of Kamala Harris.
In an offline speech, Musk encouraged voters to openly display their support for Trump, stating, “Please wear Trump T-shirts loudly and proudly, and place signs supporting Trump/Vance on the lawn… put on your MAGA hat.”Â
He emphasized the importance of visible support, particularly in traditionally Democratic areas, noting, “People need social proof.”
Musk’s Multifaceted Influence on the Campaign
The tech mogul’s influence on the presidential race is unprecedented in its scope and nature. Elon Musk has positioned himself as a vocal Trump surrogate, a significant campaign donor, an informal policy adviser, a media influencer, and a prolific source of online information (and sometimes disinformation).Â
His unique status as the world’s richest individual, owner of a major social network (X, formerly Twitter), government defense contractor, and controller of critical satellite communications infrastructure adds weight to his political involvement.
This multifaceted role sets Musk apart from other politically active billionaires and tech elites, making him a singularly influential figure in the campaign.
The Musk-Trump Alliance
Despite a history of public disagreements, with Musk once calling Trump “too old” for re-election and Trump labeling Musk a “bullshit artist” the two have formed a strong alliance in the 2024 presidential race.Â
Musk officially announced his full support for Trump in July, following months of expressing opposition to Joe Biden and the Democratic party. Since then, Musk has committed substantial financial resources and his considerable influence to the Trump campaign.
He has been quoted as saying this will be “the last election” if Trump doesn’t win, underscoring the intensity of his support and the high stakes he perceives in this election.
Leveraging Social Media Influence
Musk’s ownership of X has become a powerful tool in his support for Trump. With over 200 million followers, Musk’s account wields significant influence. He has directed the platform’s engineers to enhance the visibility of his tweets, with the algorithm now boosting his posts beyond those of other users.
This amplification of Musk’s voice on the platform has significant implications for the dissemination of pro-Trump messages. Furthermore, it was Musk who made the decision to reinstate Trump’s account on the platform in late 2022.
These actions demonstrate how Musk is leveraging his control over a major social media platform to influence the presidential race.