Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, publicly endorsed Donald Trump for the first time in the U.S. presidential race, describing the former president as “tough.”
Musk, who is currently the world’s richest person, shared his endorsement along with a video of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania,
Musk’s endorsement signifies his shift towards right-wing politics and provides Trump with a high-profile supporter in his quest to return to the White House in the November 5 election.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk posted on his social media platform X.
He followed this with another post saying, “The martyr lived,” referencing a reported debate between conservative venture capitalist Peter Thiel and LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman.
Musk also shared a photograph of Trump from the event, captioned, “Last time America had a candidate this tough was Theodore Roosevelt.” Musk and representatives from X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Bloomberg reported that Musk has been ramping up his criticism of U.S. President Joe Biden and has donated to a political group working to elect Trump.
With 189.5 million followers on X, Musk’s endorsement can spread rapidly, potentially benefiting Trump significantly.
Musk, who previously voted for Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, has in recent years adopted right-wing views.
He has become a vocal critic of diversity initiatives and Biden’s immigration policies, complaining that Democrats have given a “very cold shoulder” to Tesla and his rocket company SpaceX.
In March, Trump reportedly met with Musk and other wealthy donors as he prepared to be formally nominated as the Republican Party’s candidate for the November 5 election.
Musk clarified on X, “Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President.” He also denied media reports about a potential advisory role in any Trump presidency.
The relationship between Musk and Trump has seen ups and downs.
In July 2022, Musk said Trump was “too old to be president” and should “sail into the sunset,” expressing a preference for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Trump responded by calling Musk a “con artist.” However, by late 2022, Twitter, shortly after being acquired by Musk, reversed its ban on Trump.
Recently, Trump has expressed admiration for Musk, stating he is “a fan of Elon” and praising his work with Tesla.
Musk mentioned at a Tesla shareholder meeting that they had “some conversations” and noted Trump’s appreciation for Tesla’s electric pickup trucks.
While Musk’s support for Republicans and his controversial comments have alienated some Tesla customers, his endorsement of Trump marks a significant moment in the 2024 presidential race.
