Elon Musk to Interview Trump Amid Growing Political Ties

Billionaire Elon Musk is scheduled to interview former President Donald Trump on Monday, marking his latest engagement in politics as he increasingly aligns himself with the Republican Party and actively supports Trump’s 2024 presidential bid. This move includes leading a pro-Trump super PAC, which has garnered support from other billionaires.

Musk, who previously endorsed former President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and former Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ unsuccessful 2024 bid, has recently immersed himself in far-right politics. He has leveraged his influential presence on X, where he has more followers than any other user (193 million), to promote right-wing rhetoric and ideologies, including endorsing Trump shortly after an assassination attempt against the former president last month.

The interview is set to take place on Musk’s platform and is expected to be a “highly entertaining” and “unscripted” discussion with no restrictions on topics. This dialogue follows the growing alliance between Musk and Trump during this election cycle. According to reports, Musk and his political allies have organized events to persuade their affluent acquaintances to withhold support from Biden. Furthermore, there were discussions about a potential advisory role for Musk in the White House should Trump win re-election, although Musk has denied these claims.

During Trump’s first term in office, Musk served on business advisory groups but resigned after Trump withdrew from the Paris climate accord. Initially, Musk stated he would not contribute to either Trump or Biden’s campaigns. However, he has since acknowledged making donations to the pro-Trump super PAC, America PAC. Musk established this group in May to mobilize 800,000 voters in swing states. Despite encountering organizational challenges, including a recent restructuring, the PAC is now guided by a new team of vendors and leaders, including Republican strategists Generra Peck and Phil Cox, who previously worked for a super PAC supporting DeSantis.

Musk founded America PAC with Texas real estate developer and Republican donor Richard Weekley. The PAC was initially led by Palantir co-founder and Musk confidant Joe Lonsdale and has received support from prominent donors, including billionaires Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, Valor Equity Partners founder Antonio Gracias, and venture capitalist Douglas Leone. Musk has confirmed his involvement with the PAC, emphasizing its goal of “supporting a meritocracy and individual freedom.” He has also made “some donations” but has refuted claims that he plans to contribute $45 million monthly to the group.

The interview with Trump is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT and will be live-streamed on Trump’s X account. This event comes at a challenging moment for Trump, who faces significant scrutiny following Vice President Kamala Harris’ entry into the race last month. Harris’ candidacy was announced as Trump was gaining momentum in polls after he debated with Biden and a moment of heightened public attention following the assassination attempt. Harris currently leads Trump in most polling averages, amid recent controversies including Trump’s remarks about Harris’ race and contentious statements made by his running mate, JD Vance.

In addition to the political dynamics surrounding the interview, the Michigan Secretary of State’s office has announced an investigation into America PAC. The investigation focuses on allegations that the PAC collected personal information from visitors to its website under the pretense of voter registration. Reports suggest that the website was not designed to register voters but to gather information to complete and send out registration forms. Although the vendor initially hired to distribute approximately 8,500 voter registration forms was dismissed, they have been rehired to continue the process.

This scrutiny underscores the ongoing complexities and controversies surrounding Musk’s involvement in political funding and his support for Trump. As the election cycle intensifies, Musk’s actions and affiliations will likely continue to draw significant attention and debate.