At a lively party on election night, November 5, billionaire Elon Musk sat two seats away from president-elect Donald Trump, receiving much praise for his decisive role in the Republican candidate's victory.
"America PAC has significantly improved the Republican election campaign in swing states," billionaire Elon Musk said in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's residence in Florida.
America PAC is a political action committee (PAC) established by Elon Musk with the support of many prominent technology entrepreneurs to support Donald Trump's presidential campaign in the 2024 election.
Trump's success in the recent election is the culmination of a six-month effort, as well as a big gamble: Musk allowed the super PAC America PAC to lead the voter mobilization campaign for Trump in battleground states. Conversely, Trump entrusted a politically inexperienced person with an important role in his campaign.
According to the New York Times, it is difficult to clearly point out Musk's role in bringing Trump back to the White House, as success always involves multiple factors. However, it cannot be denied that this victory is not only Musk's success and the money he has spent.
The owner of the social network X almost self-funded this campaign with costs exceeding $175 million. His team has reached out to about 11 million households in battleground states since August, including about 1.8 million in Michigan and 2.3 million in Pennsylvania.
In addition, Musk spent $30 million on a large-scale direct mail program and $22 million on digital advertising, including Trump-friendly media.
In the spring, when meeting with political advisors, Musk focused on mobilizing 800,000 to 1 million "low-propensity" voters in seven battleground states - those who might lean towards Trump but have a history of erratic voting. As a result, Trump gained a significant advantage in rural areas, which were Musk's focus.
The 53-year-old billionaire uses traditional campaigning tactics. He set up a "caravan" to transport voters supporting Trump.
He also called for early voting and mail-in voting despite Trump having criticized these methods multiple times.
In addition, Musk also offered cash rewards, such as giving $1 million to those who signed a petition supporting free speech and gun ownership rights. Although controversial, this incident attracted public attention.
Meanwhile, Musk's X account with millions of followers has become a tool for spreading pro-Trump information.
Trump's campaign leaders appreciate the support from this tech billionaire. Musk receives daily reports on early voting and directs his team, including personal friends and Republican strategists.
With support from Elon Musk, Trump's victory has set a precedent for "shark" donors in American politics. Mike DuHaime, a former official of the Republican National Committee, expressed concern about the gradual control of political power by large donors.
In addition, this success also paves the way for billionaire Musk to continue in the political arena. On the flight back to Mar-a-Lago, he announced on X that America PAC would continue to influence judicial and midterm election races in 2026.
"America PAC will not stop after this election," Musk asserted.