Tesla CEO, billionaire Elon Musk, said he plans to fund $45 million (VND 1,142.1 billion) per month for a new super political action committee supporting former US President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, according to the Wall Street Journal
Other backers of the group, called America PAC, include Palantir Technologies PLTR, up 2.14%; Joe Lonsdale, the Winklevoss twins, former U.S. ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft and her husband, Joe Craft, chief executive of coal producer Alliance Resource Partners, the Wall Street Journal reported.
America PAC, which was formed in June, focuses on voter registration and encouraging early voting and mail-in ballots in swing states, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The coalition notes that Democrats have historically had very strong “get out the vote” campaigns and notes the amount of money the Biden camp has spent on so-called ground efforts in swing states. America PAC will try to counter that.
Musk is currently the richest person in the world, with an estimated fortune of more than $250 billion. The amount Musk said he plans to give to America PAC is an extraordinary amount, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
While the full scope of some political pledges is difficult to pin down, the largest known donation to date in the 2024 US presidential election is $50 million, given by the great-grandson of banker Thomas Mellon to a pro-Trump super PAC.
For its efforts, America PAC has hired staff and registered voters, held discussions with voters in swing states and urged voters to request mail-in ballots, according to several people familiar with the matter.
According to a filing released Monday, America PAC made $8.75 million in contributions during the three-month period ending June 30. Musk has indicated that he plans to start donating in July, according to a person familiar with the matter.
In addition to Lonsdale, the Winklevosses and Crafts, the filings include several other donors to America PAC, including some with close ties to Musk.
In early March, Elon Musk said in a post on X that he had no intention of donating to either Trump or US President Joe Biden’s campaigns. However, the Tesla CEO has moved closer to Donald Trump in recent months,
On Saturday, July 13, Musk officially announced his support for Trump for the US presidency after a gunman attempted to assassinate the former US President at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Mr Trump was on stage at a campaign rally on Saturday when shots rang out and Secret Service agents rushed the stage. Hours after the shooting, Mr Trump said the bullet had passed through the upper part of his right ear.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and the case remains under investigation.
In a post on X, Musk stated, “I fully endorse President Trump and wish him a speedy recovery.” In a subsequent post, he said, “The last time America had such a tough candidate was Theodore Roosevelt.”
