•Elon Musk and Donald Trump
Billionaire Elon Musk has donated almost $75 million to the political action committee he founded to support Donald Trump’s US presidential campaign, according to filings made late yesterday, illustrating the Tesla founder’s growing commitment to the Republican cause.
Musk, estimated to be the world’s richest man, has taken an increasingly visible role in Trump’s campaign, appearing on stage with him at a recent rally in Pennsylvania and frequently criticising his opponent, Democrat Kamala Harris, on social media.
Trump regularly mentions Musk at rallies and has promised to appoint him to a committee tasked with cutting government bureaucracy, reports AFP.
According to polls, Harris and Trump are locked in a race for the White House that is too close to call.
Musk’s America PAC raised $74.95 million for Trump’s cause between July 1 and September 30, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
The PAC has focused on grassroots get-out-the-vote efforts, particularly in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, which could determine the overall election result.
On its website, America PAC offers those who sign up to assist with voter turnout “$30 per hour, with bonuses for performance.”
Earlier, Musk had stated that he would pay $47 to anyone who persuades a registered swing-state voter to sign a petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms.
The billionaire endorsed Trump after the Republican survived an assassination attempt in July.
During the same reporting period, Harris’s primary PAC, the Harris Victory Fund, raised $633 million, according to its FEC filing.
Harris dramatically entered the presidential race after the withdrawal of incumbent President Joe Biden, following a poor debate performance against Trump in July.
Since then, the current vice president has energised the party’s base and launched an extensive campaign across the country, with a particular focus on battleground states.
Her political action committee’s year-to-date receipts were nearing one billion dollars, with the filing reporting a total of $931.2 million.
