Elon Musk, the billionaire tech CEO and richest person in the world, made headlines recently for his significant political spending during the 2024 election cycle. One of the most surprising revelations was his funding of a super PAC called RBG PAC, which focused on ads claiming that Donald Trump’s stance on abortion was in line with that of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Musk’s contribution of $20.5 million to RBG PAC was just a portion of his overall political spending, which totaled over $260 million for the election. He also established his own super PAC, America PAC, which received $238 million from him. While Musk’s involvement with America PAC was public knowledge, his support for RBG PAC was more secretive, only coming to light after the election.
RBG PAC primarily spent its budget on advertising, with ads suggesting that Ginsburg and Trump shared similar views on abortion. This approach was controversial, considering Ginsburg’s own wishes before her passing in 2020 and her replacement on the Supreme Court by Amy Coney Barrett, who was part of the majority decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade two years later.
Musk’s political influence extended beyond funding RBG PAC and America PAC. He endorsed Trump for president and actively campaigned alongside him. In addition to his presidential race spending, Musk also allocated millions of dollars to support various down-ballot elections.
In late October, Musk made a $3 million donation to a super PAC associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and contributed $924,600 to Trump 47 Committee, his first direct donation to Trump’s campaign. He also supported other GOP-linked groups, such as Early Vote Action and a joint fundraising committee linked to Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.).
Overall, Musk’s extensive political spending during the 2024 election cycle solidified his position as one of the largest individual donors. His involvement in various super PACs and political campaigns showcased his commitment to shaping the political landscape in the United States.
