Make Tesla Great Again. Why Elon Musk supports Trump.
A few years ago, the political preferences of the founder of Tesla and SpaceX were unknown, but now Musk increasingly aligns with Trump's worldview and conspiracy theories. However, these ideological beliefs are driven by mercantile interests. After clashing with the Biden administration, the businessman is going all in to secure space contracts and improve Tesla's situation.
At first glance, there seems to be nothing in common between Musk and Trump. The former cites reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a key business argument, while the latter questions climate change. Musk advocates for all cars to have electric engines, whereas Trump labels electric vehicles as an economic disaster for the U.S.
Despite this, they have come to an agreement: Musk is funding Trump's campaign and even participated in a campaign rally in one of the crucial states – Pennsylvania.
How did the richest businessman in the U.S. transition from critic to "best friend" of Trump? How did Musk turn Twitter into a massive propaganda machine? How does he plan to leverage a potential Trump victory for Tesla's benefit?
Musk's Transformation
The political views of Tesla's founder have long been ambiguous: he has identified as both a libertarian and a socialist. Musk has stated that he voted for Democratic candidates in the last three U.S. presidential elections: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden. At the same time, he adhered to the usual practices of American billionaires, donating money to both parties.
However, in recent years, the billionaire has become more vocal about his political preferences. His donations have shifted towards supporting Republicans, and after acquiring Twitter and rebranding it as X, Musk has become an advocate for right-wing nationalist ideas and racist conspiracy theories.
Although he voted for Biden in the 2020 election, Musk's relationship with his administration deteriorated over the next four years.
A few months after the election, the White House invited major American automakers Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors for a meeting to discuss union rights. Tesla was not among the invitees, as Musk is strongly opposed to unions, and his companies are often criticized for violating employee rights. The billionaire perceived this as an insult and a bet on older manufacturers.
During the lockdown due to the pandemic, the CEO of Tesla opposed preventive quarantine measures and factory closures. Additionally, he disapproved of Biden's social initiatives.
Musk's business faced a series of issues: Tesla's electric vehicles were recalled multiple times over safety concerns for drivers, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the company for potential fraud in selling "fully autonomous" vehicles, and the Securities and Exchange Commission is examining the circumstances surrounding the Twitter acquisition in 2022.
1 Musk's criticism of Biden only grew. It reached the point where the billionaire began mocking the president, calling him "Sleepy Joe," just like Trump does.
In the White House, they explained their position on Tesla by stating that the company had received too many tax benefits and was against creating a level playing field for the market. However, behind closed doors, Musk was referred to in the president's administration as a "jerk."
Interestingly, before the 2016 presidential election, Musk called Trump "not the right guy." After the Republican became president, he tried to win the billionaire over, calling him a "genius."
However, according to WP sources, Trump's first term disappointed Musk. He even resigned from two presidential advisory councils in protest against the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. "Climate change is real. Withdrawal from the agreement is bad for America and the world," Musk wrote at the time.
So how did he become a supporter of Trump? WP interlocutors who have communicated with the billionaire for many years say that he sees Trump as an agent of change, even if he occasionally disagrees with his approaches and policies.
The businessman backed the controversial J.D. Vance as a vice presidential candidate, and his donations (45 million dollars per month) went to the America PAC election committee, which focused on voter registration in "swing" states.
Musk and Trump's political friendship began in March 2024 in Florida when the Republican was seeking funds for his campaign. Around that time, the businessman told his associates that he wanted to support Trump financially. Over time, he started openly criticizing Biden and Kamala Harris on X.
After two failed assassination attempts on Trump, Musk publicly supported his candidacy. "No one is even trying to kill Biden/Kamala," Musk wrote on X, but later deleted the post, calling it a joke.
However, during an interview with controversial journalist Tucker Carlson, Musk "joked" again: "No one has even tried to kill Kamala because it's pointless. What will you achieve? Nothing, they will just find another puppet. No one is trying to kill Joe Biden."
2 In October, Musk participated in Trump's campaign rally in Balter (Pennsylvania), where an assassination attempt was made on the presidential candidate in July. "The true test of someone's character is how they behave under fire. We had one president who couldn't climb stairs and another who fought back after being injured! Fight, fight, fight!" – Musk exclaimed emotionally, jumping up and down.
Business Interests
Analysts and investors believe that if Trump is elected, his administration may ease federal scrutiny of Tesla and X, as well as halt investigations by regulators regarding allegations of harassment at SpaceX.
Over the next decade, the U.S. Space Command plans to allocate an additional 12 billion dollars for satellites from various manufacturers. This figure may increase as Republicans call for increased investments in satellites and accelerated space research, including the colonization of Mars.
3 During the rally in Pennsylvania, Trump promised that the U.S. would definitely fly to Mars by the end of his second term. Musk announced an unmanned mission to the Red Planet in two years, and a crewed mission in four to six years.
"We will never reach Mars if Kamala wins," – the billionaire argues, who in 2017 claimed he would send an expedition to Mars in 2024.
"In Biden's administration, Musk was at best a secondary figure, whereas under Trump, if he wins, Musk will be in the spotlight," – admits Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives.
Transforming X into a Pro-Trump Machine
After acquiring Twitter, Musk increasingly uses the platform to support Trump. Initially, the billionaire unblocked the former president's account