Billionaire Elon Musk gave another $43.6 million through Oct. 16 to his America PAC that’s helping to elect former President Donald Trump, federal filings show, as the Tesla CEO has now spent more than $118 million bankrolling the super PAC while becoming one of Trump’s most prominent supporters—and as his $1 million offers to voters draw legal scrutiny.
Key Facts
Musk has now surpassed Miriam Adelson to become the second-largest individual pro-Trump donor this election cycle, The New York Times notes, after billionaire Timothy Mellon, who has given $150 million so far to aid the ex-president (the donations are to independent super PACs, not the Trump campaign itself).
Musk gave $43.6 million to America PAC between Oct. 1-16, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission, which will be the last time the super PAC’s donations are publicly reported before Election Day.
That comes on top of $75 million Musk already gave America PAC through Sept. 30, and his money makes up nearly all of the $130.3 million the super PAC has raised overall.
America PAC has generated controversy in recent weeks for giving away $1 million each day to a randomly selected swing state voter who’s signed a petition on the group’s website—a plan that was announced Saturday after the deadline for this FEC filing, so it’s possible Musk could have given more cash after Oct. 16 to help fund the gambit.
The super PAC is reportedly largely responsible for the Trump campaign’s ground game knocking on voters’ doors, though reports suggest it’s faced issues with its tech infrastructure that have allowed workers to claim they’ve knocked on voters doors when they actually haven’t.
Musk has also personally supported Trump on the campaign trail, appearing with the ex-president at a campaign rally and headlining his own events in Pennsylvania in recent days.