Did billionaire Elon Musk's 'tons' of money help Mr. Trump win the election?
Báo Tuổi Trẻ•07/11/2024
At a lively party on election night November 5, billionaire Elon Musk sat two seats away from President-elect Donald Trump, receiving much praise for his decisive role in the Republican candidate's victory.
Mr. Trump has the backing of the world's richest man Elon Musk - Photo: REUTERS
"America PAC has significantly improved the Republican campaign in swing states," billionaire Elon Musk said in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson at Mar-a-Lago, Trump 's Florida estate. America PAC is a political action committee (PAC), founded by Elon Musk with the support of many prominent technology entrepreneurs, to support Donald Trump's presidential campaign in the 2024 election. Trump's success in the recent election was the culmination of a six-month effort and a huge gamble: Musk let America PAC lead the campaign to get Trump out the vote in battleground states. Trump, on the other hand, trusted a person with no political experience with a key role in his campaign. It’s hard to pin down Mr. Musk’s role in Trump’s return to the White House, since success is always multifaceted, according to the New York Times . But there’s no denying that the victory was about more than just Mr. Musk’s success and the money he spent. The social media mogul has largely self-funded the campaign, which has cost more than $175 million. His team has knocked on about 11 million doors in battleground states since August, including about 1.8 million in Michigan and 2.3 million in Pennsylvania. In addition, Mr. Musk has spent $30 million on a massive direct mail campaign and $22 million on digital advertising, including on Trump-friendly media. In the spring, when he met with political advisers, Musk focused on mobilizing 800,000 to 1 million “unlikely” voters in seven battleground states — people who might lean toward Trump but have a history of voting irregularly. That gave Trump a big advantage in rural areas, a key focus for Musk. The 53-year-old billionaire used traditional campaign tactics. He created a “fleet of cars” to transport Trump supporters. He also called for early voting and mail-in voting, despite Trump’s repeated criticism of the method. Musk also offered cash rewards, such as $1 million to anyone who signed a petition supporting free speech and gun rights. While controversial, the move drew public attention. Meanwhile, Musk’s X account, with millions of followers, became a vehicle to spread pro-Trump messages. Trump campaign officials have appreciated the support from the tech billionaire. Musk receives daily reports on early voting numbers and directs his team, which includes personal friends and Republican strategists. With Musk 's support, Trump's victory has set a precedent for "shark" donors in American politics. Mike DuHaime, a former Republican National Committee official, shared concerns about the growing control of politics by big donors. In addition, this success also paves the way for billionaire Musk to continue to stay in the political field. On the flight back to Mar-a-Lago, he announced on X that America PAC will continue to influence judicial races and the 2026 midterm elections. "America PAC will not stop after this election," Musk affirmed.
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