Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk known for Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), has publicly endorsed Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump for the upcoming US presidential election. However, this endorsement contrasts sharply with the political ideologies of his employees who are supporting Trump’s Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Data from OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan organization tracking campaign contributions, reveals that employees at Tesla, SpaceX, and X have collectively donated significantly more to Harris than to Trump.At Tesla, workers have contributed $42,824 to Harris’s campaign, compared to $24,840 for Trump. SpaceX employees have given $34,526 to Harris versus $7,652 to Trump. At X, donations stand at $13,213 for Harris and less than $500 for Trump.
Despite these donations showing a clear difference from Musk’s political views, the amounts are relatively small for overall presidential campaigns. Musk, who backed President Joe Biden in 2020, has since shifted his support to the right, endorsing Trump and criticising progressive policies.
Musk’s public support for Trump includes promoting his candidacy on X and criticizing progressive ideas, which he has described as a “woke-mind virus.” If Trump wins the election on November 5, Trump has promised to appoint Musk to lead a government efficiency commission.
The data from OpenSecrets includes contributions from employees, company owners, and their immediate family members, as campaign finance laws prevent companies from directly donating to federal campaigns. The discrepancy between Musk’s political support and his employees’ contributions highlights the complex political landscape within his companies.
Data from OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan organization tracking campaign contributions, reveals that employees at Tesla, SpaceX, and X have collectively donated significantly more to Harris than to Trump.At Tesla, workers have contributed $42,824 to Harris’s campaign, compared to $24,840 for Trump. SpaceX employees have given $34,526 to Harris versus $7,652 to Trump. At X, donations stand at $13,213 for Harris and less than $500 for Trump.
Despite these donations showing a clear difference from Musk’s political views, the amounts are relatively small for overall presidential campaigns. Musk, who backed President Joe Biden in 2020, has since shifted his support to the right, endorsing Trump and criticising progressive policies.
Musk’s public support for Trump includes promoting his candidacy on X and criticizing progressive ideas, which he has described as a “woke-mind virus.” If Trump wins the election on November 5, Trump has promised to appoint Musk to lead a government efficiency commission.
The data from OpenSecrets includes contributions from employees, company owners, and their immediate family members, as campaign finance laws prevent companies from directly donating to federal campaigns. The discrepancy between Musk’s political support and his employees’ contributions highlights the complex political landscape within his companies.
