Elon Musk, who once openly criticised Donald Trump, has now emerged as one of his key supporters in the lead-up to the 2024 US presidential election. Musk’s shift comes as his relations with President Joe Biden have soured over the years due to policy disputes and public clashes.
Supporting Trump's Rivals
Musk’s evolving political alliances reflect a stark transformation. In the past, he supported Trump’s Democratic rivals, including Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Musk, who has described himself as politically mixed, initially expressed frustration with the Biden administration shortly after it took office.
His dissatisfaction became evident in 2021 when Tesla, despite dominating US electric vehicle sales, was excluded from a White House EV summit. This omission sparked Musk to openly criticise Biden’s stance on EVs and his support for unions, suggesting Biden’s policies were not fostering innovation.
Musk-Biden Tension
The tension between Musk and Biden continued, with Musk calling out the Democratic party in 2022, accusing it of promoting “division and hate.” Though Musk hinted at shifting his support to the Republican party, he initially maintained a critical view of Trump, even suggesting that the former president “sail into the sunset” and avoid another campaign.
However, Musk’s perspective on Trump changed after he took over Twitter, now rebranded as X, and restored Trump’s account. Musk described his renewed support as a “difficult choice” but grew more vocal in Trump’s favour following a failed assassination attempt on the former president during a rally. In a public show of support, Musk endorsed Trump’s 2024 bid, even appearing beside him at a Pennsylvania rally in October.
Musk warned that a Trump defeat might spell the end of American democracy, adding that a victory for Vice President Kamala Harris could lead to X being shut down and Musk himself facing legal issues for his support of Trump. Now, as Trump’s chances in the election become clearer, Musk announced on X, “The people of America gave Donald Trump a crystal clear mandate for change tonight,” signalling a new chapter in his political stance.
'I Love You, Elon'
In a triumphant address from West Palm Beach, Florida, Donald Trump celebrated his victory in the race to become the 47th President of the United States. In his speech, Trump expressed gratitude to his supporters and shared his vision for the country's future. Among the highlights, he offered a warm acknowledgement to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, praising Musk's support and contributions to his campaign.
Describing Musk as a "super genius" and a "special guy," Trump emphasised the tech entrepreneur's importance to the country. "Elon Musk saved a lot of lives. He's a unique talent, and we need to protect our geniuses because there aren’t many of them," Trump remarked, as the crowd responded enthusiastically with chants of Musk's name.
Trump also lauded Musk's commitment, noting that the CEO spent time campaigning across Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, where his efforts made an impact. Recalling a recent SpaceX launch, Trump added with admiration, "Only Elon can do this. That’s why I love you, Elon."