Revealed: The staggering amount of money ‘first buddy’ Elon Musk spent to help elect Trump
Elon Musk spent nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Donald Trump, including a clever scheme that involved pouring $20 million into a PAC to soften the president-elect’s image on abortion.
Known as the “First Buddy,” the richest man in the world is a fixture at Mar-a-Lago, not to mention his new position as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
About $40.5 million of Musk’s money was spent on the infamous lottery that awarded $1 million a day to anyone who signed a petition in support of the Constitution.
At one point, as the race neared its end, Musk cut a $25 million per week check for his own America PAC.
Perhaps Musk’s most intriguing plan was a $20 million PAC named after the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The RBG PACwhose website featured photos of Trump and the liberal justice side by side with the caption “Great Minds Think Alike,” tried to suggest that the 45th president and Ginsburg agreed on abortion law.
The issue was seen as a weakness for Trump in the run-up to the election, as the Supreme Court justices he appointed had issued the Dobbs decision, effectively ending Roe vs. Wade.
It was only recently revealed by FEC filings reported by the New York Times that Musk was behind the PAC, although leader May Mailman alluded to this by defending Musk in the media.
Elon Musk spent nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Donald Trump, including a clever plan that poured $20 million into a PAC to soften the president-elect’s image on abortion
Trump takes the stage before speaking at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards on Thursday evening
Ginsburg’s family was outraged by the ads, with her daughter issuing a statement in October saying it was “downright appalling” to suggest her grandmother and Trump agreed on the issue.
The total amount Musk ultimately spent was about $239 million, albeit a chunk of change for someone with the largesse of Tesla’s CEO.
That may not be the end of Musk’s spending in 2024, as it’s possible he funded dark money groups that don’t have to disclose what he donated.
He also donated $12 million to the Senate Leadership Fund and the Sentinel Action Fund, which worked to win back the Senate for the Republican Party.
In keeping with his promise to remain active in politics, he donated $4 million to America PAC on November 12, way back when Trump had been declared the winner over Kamala Harris.
The PAC funding largely went to engaging voters on the ground and hiring staff to get people to vote for Trump.
Musk has established himself in the early hours of the Trump transition as a powerful advisor and gatekeeper with enormous influence.
He was with Trump and his family members on their election night at Mar-a-Lago and has since been seen meeting with the president-elect as he figures out who will be in his Cabinet.
Perhaps Musk’s most intriguing plan was a $20 million PAC named after the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Only recently was it revealed from FEC documents that Musk was behind the PAC, although leader May Mailman alluded to this by defending Musk in the media.
Trump enlisted Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to “dismantle” America’s bloated $6.5 trillion bureaucracy by heading the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
They plan to reduce wasteful regulation and spending by specifically targeting the number of federal government employees.
Musk and Ramaswamy spent several hours Thursday exchanging ideas with lawmakers about the DOGE initiative.
At a closed-door meeting at the Capitol, Musk told the mostly Republican lawmakers that they would keep a “naughty and nice” list of those who join the budget cuts and those who don’t, according to lawmakers present.
The initiative is all part of what he calls his “Save America” agenda for a second term in the White House.
Musk and Ramaswamy left lawmakers with the impression that they would be back for more, holding regular meetings and starting a podcast or some other way to share information with Americans to gauge public support — or opposition — to the proposals .
While neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much public sector experience, they have track records in private business – Musk’s activities do extensive government contracts — and enthusiasm for Trump’s agenda, after campaigning with him in the latter part of the election.
Musk and his mother Maye also spent Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago with the Trump family and Sylvester Stallone.
Trump enlisted Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to ‘dismantle’ America’s bloated $6.5 trillion bureaucracy by heading the newly created Department of Government Efficiency
Musk officially supported Trump after the July 13 assassination attempt on the Republican during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania
Using his X-platform – a massive online presence that can influence politics around the world – is just part of his growing political power.
Musk has been spotted repeatedly at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the election, thanking him on stage on election night.
And he even joined Trump on a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Musk officially supported Trump after the July 13 assassination attempt on the Republican during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The head of SpaceX,