Jul 13, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Musk endorses Trump after shooting at rally

Dave Lawler

Trump blood fist — Trump pumps his fist following the incident at his rally. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Elon Musk endorsed former President Trump minutes after Trump was ushered off stage by Secret Service agents at a rally in Pennsylvania after he came under fire.

Why it matters: Musk is one of the richest men on the planet and controls of one of the world's biggest social media platforms. Trump has reportedly considered offering an advisory role to Musk, who has moved sharply to the right of the political spectrum in recent years.

Musk's tweet endorsing Trump came a day after Bloomberg reported that he had donated to a pro-Trump PAC.
"I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote on X, sharing a video of Trump getting to his feet after the incident with a bloodied ear and pumping his fist to the crowd.
The Trump campaign and the Secret Service have both confirmed that Trump is safe.

The big picture: Musk has said he voted for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in the three previous presidential cycles.

COVID restrictions, high taxes and regulations in California also spurred an ideological shift right, and a physical move to Texas, now the home of Tesla's headquarters, Axios Zach Basu reports.
Musk's disillusionment with the Democratic Party has only accelerated — or at least, it has become more public — since his acquisition of Twitter.

Even before endorsing Trump, Musk frequently trolled Democrats and engaged with right-wing commentators who view him as a like-minded culture warrior.
The Tesla CEO's support for Trump comes despite the fact that Trump is openly skeptical of electric vehicles.

The latest: Musk later tweeted that two people had tried to kill him in the past 8 months, adding: "Dangerous times ahead."

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Musk endorses Trump after shooting at rally

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