Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has publicly endorsed Donald Trump for the first time in the U.S. presidential race, describing the former president as “tough.” Musk, known as the world’s richest person, shared his endorsement along with a video showing Trump with blood on his face, pumping his fist after shots were heard at a rally in Pennsylvania. Trump was unharmed.
In his social media posts, Musk expressed his support for Trump and wished him a speedy recovery. Musk’s endorsement marks a notable shift towards right-wing politics and provides Trump with a high-profile supporter in his bid for the White House in the November 5 election.
Musk’s post, “The martyr lived,” referenced a reported debate between conservative venture capitalist Peter Thiel and LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman. Musk later shared a photograph of Trump from the event, comparing him to Theodore Roosevelt in terms of toughness.
Neither Musk nor representatives from his social media platform, X, responded immediately to requests for comment. According to Bloomberg, Musk has also donated to a political group supporting Trump’s campaign.
Previously, Musk has voted for Democratic presidential candidates, including Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. However, in recent years, he has criticized diversity initiatives, Biden’s immigration policies, and claimed that Democrats have been unwelcoming towards Tesla and SpaceX.
In March, Musk reportedly met with Trump and other wealthy donors, but he clarified on social media that he was not donating money to either presidential candidate. He also denied media reports about discussions over a potential advisory role in a Trump administration.
In July 2022, Musk suggested that Trump was “too old” to be president and expressed a preference for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This led to Trump calling Musk a “Bull***t artist.” Later in 2022, Twitter, which Musk had acquired and renamed X, reversed its ban on Trump.
Trump has spoken positively about Musk, calling him “incredible” in relation to his work with Tesla. Musk mentioned that Trump is a “huge fan” of Tesla’s electric pickup trucks. Trump has also pledged to reverse the Biden administration’s support for the electric vehicle industry.
Musk’s support for Republican candidates and his controversial comments have affected Tesla’s reputation and sales, causing some customers to distance themselves from the company.
