As Donald Trump inches nearer to victory within the US presidential elections, one man has been by his facet cheering him on. Elon Musk turned Trump’s star campaigner, each offline and on-line, quickly after a failed assassination bid towards the previous US president throughout a rally, however the two didn’t at all times see eye to eye.
The truth is, Elon Musk supported Donald Trump’s rivals Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden within the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Elon Musk and Joe Biden: What occurred
Musk, who had beforehand described himself as “half Democrat, half Republican”, started hitting out at US President Joe Biden and his administration over their insurance policies quickly after he was elected.
The connection soured additional in 2021 when he took to Twitter, now X, to complain that his firm Tesla wasn’t invited to the White Home’s summit on the way forward for electrical automobiles regardless of it promoting 74% of all EVs within the nation.
In September 2021, following the launch of all-civilian house flight, Musk hit out at Biden when he was requested why he had not but congratulated SpaceX. “He’s nonetheless sleeping,” Musk stated in a mocking publish on X.
Musk additionally criticised Biden’s help to staff’ unions and stated he was unable to “get loads performed”.
In 2022, he stated Musk slammed the Democratic social gathering labelling them as “the social gathering of division & hate” and stated that he would shift to the Republican facet. However he nonetheless remained crucial of Republican social gathering’s largest candidate – Donald Trump.
(Additionally learn: The place is Joe Biden now? This is how US president spent election evening)
From critic to confidante: Musk and Trump
Earlier than Donald Trump was voted to energy in 2016, Musk slammed the Republican and stated he was not the appropriate man for the job. “I really feel a bit stronger that he’s most likely not the appropriate man. He would not appear to have the kind of character that displays properly on america,” he stated.
In 2022, he opined that Trump ought to quit on his re-election bid: “I don’t hate the person, but it surely’s time for Trump to hold up his hat & sail into the sundown.”
He stated that Trump’s presidency could be “an excessive amount of drama”. “Do we actually need a bull in a china store state of affairs each single day!?” he had stated.
Nevertheless, the connection between the 2 turned extra cordial after Musk purchased Twitter and reinstated the previous president’s account. Over the subsequent two years, Musk stopped wanting endorsing Trump calling the choice a “tough alternative” however that modified within the run as much as the election this yr when Trump narrowly escaped an assassination bid at a rally in Pennsylvania.
“I totally endorse President Trump and hope for his speedy restoration,” he wrote in a publish on X, hours after the assault. In October, Trump returned to Pennsylvania for one more rally and this time, Musk was by his facet, supporting him. Sporting a black “Make America Nice Once more” cap, he warned that if Trump misplaced, it could be the final election and it was essential to vote for him to save lots of American democracy.
He additionally claimed that if Kamala Harris gained, she would shut down X and throw him in jail for supporting Trump and his marketing campaign. In the present day, Musk has declared Trump because the winner of the 2024 presidential elections on X. “The individuals of America gave Donald Trump a crystal clear mandate for change tonight,” he wrote.
