WASHINGTON — Billionaire Elon Musk spent more than $259 million (S$347 million) backing Donald Trump’s successful bid for the White House in the 2024 presidential election, newly released Federal Election Commission filings reveal. The massive contributions place Musk among the largest financial supporters of a presidential campaign in U.S. history, highlighting his growing political influence.
According to the filings, the Tesla and SpaceX owner funneled $239 million into America PAC, a super PAC he established to mobilize voter turnout for Trump. An additional $20 million was donated to RBG PAC, a group focused on reassuring voters that Trump would not push for a national abortion ban. The group’s name references the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal champion of abortion rights.
Musk, who also owns the social media platform X, has taken on a central role in Trump’s transition team. Trump has appointed Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead a task force tasked with slashing government spending and regulations.
On December 5, Musk and Ramaswamy met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to secure support for sweeping cuts to federal spending, including proposals to reduce federal workforce numbers and eliminate expired programs, such as veterans’ healthcare.
Musk’s close collaboration with Trump has made him a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago, where he is considered a trusted adviser as the incoming Republican administration prepares its policy agenda.