Read more at source.
Read more at source.
Musk became one of Trump's most significant supporters throughout the campaign. He endorsed Trump following an assassination attempt, pledged to donate $45 million a month to America PAC, a pro-Trump political action committee, and even hit the campaign trail himself. By the election, Musk had become one of Trump's biggest financial backers.
Despite Musk's significant financial contributions, questions remain about the effectiveness of America PAC's get-out-the-vote efforts. Workers alleged misconduct by the group's subcontractor, and there were claims of canvassers faking numbers. However, Musk's influence was undeniable online, where he used his social media platform X to boost pro-Trump propaganda to his millions of followers.
Musk's influence did not wane post-election. He has been involved in calls with foreign leaders, staffing decisions for the new administration, and has threatened to use America PAC to fund challenges against lawmakers who don't support Trump's agenda. Furthermore, Musk is set to colead a new federal advisory committee, the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget.
He's parlayed [his ownership of X] into a governmental position where his ability to influence policy that affects all of his business interests is just tremendous. And that could pay huge financial dividends, says Phil Napoli, a professor of public policy at Duke University. I think that would be the scariest thing that could happen, is if a lot of these platforms take that signal from Musk.
