IN AN extraordinary twist that has upended an already unpredictable election, the world’s richest man has grow to be Donald Trump’s most influential supporter in his bid to return to the White Home.
Listed here are 5 ways Elon Musk is wielding his outsized affect to assist Trump win the election in opposition to Kamala Harris:
Monetary powerhouse
Musk established the America political motion committee, or Tremendous PAC, in July with the major aim of supporting Trump’s marketing campaign and the “Make America Nice Once more” (MAGA) motion.
The Tremendous PAC, which swimming pools marketing campaign contributions for election-related causes, has acquired roughly US$75 million from Musk over the final three months alone and sure extra since.
Musk’s internet value is estimated at US$264 billion, based on Forbes.
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America PAC has shortly grow to be one in all the largest pro-Trump organisations, specializing in Republican voter turnout in seven essential swing states.
The organisation has launched controversial initiatives, together with money incentives for voters who refer others to signal a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments to the US Structure, which shield free speech and the proper to bear arms.
It has additionally launched a day by day US$1 million lottery prize for random petition signatories in swing states.
These uncommon schemes have sparked authorized debates. Whereas some consultants argue they violate US electoral legislation prohibiting cost for voter registration, others keep their legality.
Philadelphia’s chief prosecutor this week filed a lawsuit difficult the prize supply as an “unlawful lottery scheme.”
Though a decide ordered Musk to seem in court docket, his legal professionals filed a “movement of elimination,” transferring the case to federal jurisdiction pending a choice.
Hit the path
Not like most billionaire backers who stay in the shadows, Musk has emerged as Trump’s most distinguished movie star endorser, making frequent marketing campaign appearances.
His first joint look with Trump occurred on Oct 5 in Butler, Pennsylvania – the web site of a July assassination try on the former president.
Throughout the rally, Musk delivered an impassioned speech warning that “this will likely be the final election” if Trump doesn’t win, claiming Democrats would take management of the nation.
At New York’s Madison Sq. Backyard, Musk declared to hundreds, “I’m not simply Maga, I’m darkish Gothic Maga.”
Musk has additionally performed solo city corridor occasions, together with a marathon question-and-answer session in Pennsylvania that drew massive crowds.
He has additionally deliberate digital city halls, together with on Nov 5, Election Day.
Authorities cuts
Trump has promised to nominate the billionaire as head of a brand new “division of presidency effectivity”, or Doge – sharing its identify with the Musk-linked cryptocurrency.
This appointment would elevate vital battle of curiosity issues, given SpaceX’s important function in Nasa missions and Tesla’s dependence on authorities regulators, notably for self-driving expertise.
And SpaceX’s Starlink performs a crucial function in offering communication help in warfare zones and catastrophe areas throughout the globe.
In line with the New York Instances, SpaceX and Tesla have secured not less than US$15 billion in authorities contracts over the final decade.
At the New York occasion, Musk proposed chopping annual authorities spending by two trillion {dollars}, suggesting dramatic modifications to public companies, together with reductions in authorities pensions and retiree healthcare.
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers criticised this method, saying governments are usually not run like firms.
“Respectfully, I feel it’s idiotic,” he mentioned on Fox Information.
X at your service?
Since buying Twitter and rebranding it as X two years in the past, Musk has reworked the platform.
Current research point out elevated visibility for right-wing content material, whereas Democratic and left-wing posts have seen lowered engagement.
A Washington Post evaluation revealed that Republican accounts are posting extra regularly and gaining extra followers beneath Musk’s possession.
White Home officers have expressed concern about their diminished attain throughout potential crises, with their common publish views dropping from 200,000 to 100,000.
Whereas this could possibly be attributed to consumer exodus following Musk’s takeover, algorithm changes may play a task.
A Wall Avenue Journal investigation discovered that even accounts following solely nonpolitical topics acquired predominantly conservative and election-related content material, contradicting X’s assurances to advertisers about nonpolitical content material publicity.
Misinformation megaphone
Musk has used his account of greater than 200 million followers to advertise Trump’s platform, notably concerning immigration and transgender points.
He has additionally unfold debunked conspiracy theories about rigged voting machines – arguments the Trump marketing campaign will leverage if defeated.
A New York Instances evaluation of Musk’s X posts over 5 days final month discovered almost one-third of his 171 posts contained false info or lacked context.
He has amplified conspiracy theories, together with assertions that Democrats are “importing” migrants for voting functions and false tales about immigrants from Haiti.
In line with the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, Musk’s false or deceptive election claims on X gathered almost 1.2 billion views in only a few months. AFP
Five ways the world’s richest man helps Trump www.businesstimes.com.sg 2024-11-01 07:59:23
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