Elon Musk has firmly denied claims that he is donating $45 million per month to support Donald Trump. This statement comes after the Wall Street Journal reported Musk’s alleged monthly contributions to a pro-Trump Super PAC, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Musk addressed these reports in an interview with conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, stating that the claims are false.
“What’s been reported in the media is simply not true,” Musk said. “I’m not donating $45 million a month to Trump. What I have done is I have created a PAC, or Super PAC, whatever you want to call it. I simply call it the America PAC.”
What is a Super PAC?
Musk explained that a Super PAC can raise unlimited funds for campaign-related expenditures but does not directly donate to the campaign itself. These entities have become prominent since a 2010 court decision allowed their formation, enabling both Democrats and Republicans to raise significant amounts of money beyond the $5,000 annual limit imposed on traditional PACs.
Several influential figures in the tech industry have contributed to America PAC, including Ken Howery, an early executive at PayPal, Antonio Gracias, a private equity leader, Sequoia Capital’s Shuan Maguire, and the Winklevoss twins. The Super PAC is also partially led by Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of the software company Palantir and a politically active venture capitalist in Austin, who maintains close ties with Musk, according to the New York Times.
Musk emphasized that America PAC is not meant to be a hyper-partisan organization. “My intent is to promote the principles that made America great in the first place. I wouldn’t say that I’m, for example, MAGA, or Make America Great Again. I think America is great. I’m more M-A-G, Make America Greater,” he said.
Musk’s View on Trump and Core Values
Despite Musk’s recent praise for Trump’s courage following a July 13 assassination attempt, he maintained that his support is based on broader principles rather than personal allegiance. “I don’t prescribe to [a] cult of personality,” Musk said. He praised Trump’s resilience and suggested it could help deter America’s adversaries.
Musk elaborated on the core values he believes the Republican Party embodies more effectively than the Democrats, such as meritocracy and minimal government intervention. “One of those values being meritocracy, as much meritocracy as possible, so you get ahead as a function of your skill, and nothing else,” he said. Musk criticized increasing government overreach, stating, “The hand of government gets heavier every year, and if we don’t roll back some restrictions and regulations, eventually, everything will be illegal.”
When questioned by Peterson about his shift to supporting Trump after years of voting Democrat, Musk attributed the change to the Democratic Party’s stance on censorship.
He also referenced a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department under President Joe Biden’s administration against his company, SpaceX, accusing it of discouraging refugees and asylum seekers from applying for jobs. A court order later blocked the U.S. from pursuing this lawsuit.
Featured Image courtesy of CARINA JOHANSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty Images
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