Elon Musk Pledges $1 Million Daily to Back Trump Campaign: How He Shifted to Pro-Republican Politics

With only two weeks remaining until the U.S. presidential election, Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, announced a substantial incentive for Republicans in one of the critical swing states.

On Saturday (October 19), Musk revealed that one registered Republican voter from Pennsylvania would be awarded $1 million each day until Election Day on November 5. To be eligible, participants must sign a petition supporting "Free Speech & the Right to Bear Arms." Musk's bio on X (formerly Twitter) clearly shows his endorsement of Republican candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Musk, who once supported Democratic leaders like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, has taken a sharp turn toward conservative causes. How did this transformation occur?

Pre-Pandemic: Moderate Political Views, Social Ambiguity

Born in South Africa, Elon Musk is the founder of companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X. For a long time, Musk characterized his political stance as moderate, even describing himself in a 2018 tweet as a "registered independent & politically moderate" with some hardline views on specific issues. In 2016, he expressed support for Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a safeguard against job loss due to advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, by 2018, he opposed unionizing efforts at Tesla’s California factory.

Musk had historically backed Democratic presidential candidates, including Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, as well as Hillary Clinton in 2016. He openly doubted Trump’s suitability as president in 2016, stating that Trump likely wasn’t the “right guy” and lacked the character needed to positively represent the U.S.

Post-Pandemic Shift: Battling the “Woke Mind Virus”

Musk’s political shift became evident with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He frequently voiced opinions about the severity and length of the crisis, engaging heavily on Twitter. He later went on record during a 2020 New York Times podcast, stating that he wouldn’t take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Musk’s dissatisfaction with President Biden became increasingly clear as he referred to Biden as a “damp sock puppet” for ignoring companies like Tesla and SpaceX in favor of more traditional industries.

In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, a radicalization expert suggested Musk’s shift to the right was driven more by self-interest and his quest for attention than by any consistent ideological beliefs. The expert described Musk’s alignment with the far-right as an outcome of creating an “echo chamber” that fueled his political radicalization.

Personal matters also seemed to influence Musk’s political trajectory. In 2022, Musk’s daughter came out as transgender and sought to change her name. Musk has cited this development as a trigger for his current conservative leanings, mentioning in a conversation with conservative psychologist Jordan Peterson that he had "lost his son" to the so-called "woke mind virus."

Musk’s Involvement in Trump’s 2024 Campaign

Although Musk had repeatedly claimed that he wouldn’t support either candidate in the 2024 election, he officially endorsed Donald Trump in July of that year. This endorsement came shortly after an assassination attempt on Trump’s life, with Musk arguing that Trump was essential to preserving democracy. Musk also recommended Ohio Senator JD Vance as Trump’s running mate, a suggestion that was later adopted.

In early October, Musk made his first appearance at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania—the site of the assassination attempt on Trump. Pennsylvania is seen as a critical swing state in the upcoming election, and Musk identified himself as "dark MAGA," a term signaling strong adherence to Trump’s conservative “Make America Great Again” values.

In September, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had quietly funneled millions of dollars to Republican campaigns since 2022, primarily benefiting Trump and former Republican hopeful Ron DeSantis. Musk’s involvement became more explicit when it was revealed through U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings in October that Musk, the sole financier of the America PAC, had contributed approximately $75 million to Trump’s campaign between July and September 2024. The PAC has concentrated its efforts on swing states and other key initiatives, including Musk’s drive to mobilize undecided voters ahead of the election.

Musk recently awarded the first million-dollar prize to John Dreher through his America PAC, which supports candidates advocating for policies such as "Secure Borders, Sensible Spending, Safe Cities, a Fair Justice System, Free Speech, and Self-Protection."

Musk’s bio on X openly declares his support for Trump in the 2024 elections, a stark contrast to his earlier political affiliations. Once a supporter of Democratic figures like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Musk has since embraced a pro-Republican stance, aligning himself closely with conservative values.