Elon Musk has had the most dramatic political shift in the last decade, maybe. From opposing Donald Trump to joining him at the White House press conference, the tech tycoon realized there was an opportunity he could seize to further expand her empire, according to RadarOnline.com.
In 2016, Musk was hesitant to support Trump during the presidential election. He even dismissed him as “nuts” and paraded with the Democratic Party before backing him in his 2024 campaign. So, what went differently? Why is the tech billionaire suddenly so eager to support Donald Trump? Why is his DOGE running on a 120-hour workweek to materialize the president’s plans? RadarOnline.com revealed the real reasons behind Musk’s sudden shift.
Elon Musk’s Initial Opposition to Trump
Author Walter Isaacson, who wrote the biography of Elon Musk, provided much insight into the Tesla owner’s Democratic Party days and his opposition to Trump. The author revealed, “Like many techies, he was liberal on social issues but with a dollop of libertarian resistance to regulations and political correctness.”
Following these principles, he backed Barack Obama and then Hillary Clinton‘s presidential campaign, strongly criticizing Trump during the 2016 election. Issacson revealed that during one interview, Musk even commented that Mr. Trump wasn’t the sort of person “that reflects well on the United States.”
However, after he became the 45th president, Elon’s outlook gradually began to change. In the book, the author noted that the tech mogul said, “I thought that maybe some of the crazier stuff he said during the campaign was just a performance and he would land in a more sensible place.” He was hoping that Trump could govern as an independent figure, leaving out his far-right ideology.
Just when his opinion was changing, Musk had a meeting with the president in December 2016 in New York. Then, he also had a chance to meet Trump privately. According to reports, the POTUS showed interest in reviving NASA while meeting Elon. But what baffled the billionaire more was when he joked about having a Tesla that he never drove. “He seems kind of nuts, but he may turn out okay,” Musk reportedly said to the author of his biography.
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However, while Trump compared him to legends like Edison, the SpaceX founder was still not very satisfied with his “buffoonery.” He said, “Trump might be one of the world’s best bull——-s ever like my dad. Bull——– can sometimes baffle the brain. If you just think of Trump as sort of a con-man performance, then his behavior sort of makes sense.”
His “deep disdain” for Donald Trump was visible when he decided to remove him from Twitter, although he later returned in 2022. Musk continued calling him “disruptive”.
Why Did Elon Musk Start Backing Trump?
So, it was a great surprise to many when Elon Musk was seen changing the side during the 2024 presidential election. From financing his campaign to rallying with the Republicans, their sudden friendship raised many brows. Although Musk has denied receiving any direct political favor from him, experts think it is a rather strategic move by the tech mogul.
This article is fascinating. Of course we all knew there was a reason @elonmusk is throwing such vociferous support behind Trump.
If Trump wins, Elon and his companies will essentially become unregulated and he will have an amount of power and American business man has never… pic.twitter.com/uxytxqmCTX
— Maile (@MaileOnX) October 21, 2024
According to The New Yorker, following Trump’s win, Tesla’s market value surged to $50 billion. RadarOnline.com sees this as Elon enjoying the new policies, and it can help his other ventures like Starlink and SpaceX, which need federal contracts. In addition, the new tariffs and EV credits will also benefit Elon Musk in many ways. After the tariffs on Chinese imports are imposed, Tesla can eradicate some major competitors. However, it can also cost him a lot until he receives special treatment like Apple.
Meanwhile, as the head of DOGE, Department of Government Efficiency, Musk now has Trump’s support to promote his Dogecoin. According to RadarOnline.com, the value of cryptocurrency skyrocketed following Trump’s victory.
Overall, Musk understands that this newfound bond with the president could benefit him by expanding his unstoppable empire while also strengthening his financial and political position.
