Elon Musk used rhetoric to encourage voters in Pennsylvania to support Donald Trump, aiming to galvanise his base in this vital swing state.
As reported by Bloomberg, Musk said at an event in the Philadelphia area, “The reason I’m here in person is because Pennsylvania is so important to the future of the world.”
“I think this election is going to decide the fate of America. And along with the fate of America, the fate of western civilization,” he added.
Musk, wearing a gold "Make America Great Again" hat, embraced much of Trump’s exaggerated rally language, comparing the situation at the US-Mexico border to a “zombie apocalypse.”
He also claimed that if Kamala Harris were to win the presidency, it would lead the country to become “fully Mad Max,” indicating the dystopian action films.
He alleged, without providing evidence, that Democrats are permitting migrants to enter the country to vote for their party.
Musk’s appearance on the campaign trail represents another effort by the world's richest person to leverage his wealth and influence in support of former President Trump, as polls indicate a close race against Vice President Harris with less than three weeks until Election Day. Musk has stated that he intends to participate in more events in Pennsylvania in the coming days, Bloomberg reported.
Musk cast doubt on the security of the election system saying he would not “trust a computer program” to manage elections, adding fuel to Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread voting fraud. Election experts have said there is no evidence to back those assertions.
The entrepreneur sent mixed signals about mail-in ballots, at one-point disparaging that option, while also encouraging Pennsylvanians to vote “immediately.”
Musk called for voting to happen exclusively on paper ballots to be counted by hand. Many voters record their votes on machines, but some 99% of records all are backed up by paper records, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Those machines are faster and more reliable vote counters and are audited against a sample of paper ballots to ensure accuracy, according to the group’s research.
The Tesla Inc. and SpaceX chief executive officer has poured $75 million into his super PAC, launching him into the top tier of political donors supporting Trump’s campaign, and has aggressively promoted the former president on X, the social media platform Musk owns.
Pennsylvania is the most populous of the battleground states — with 19 electoral votes — giving it outsized importance for both of the campaigns. The state has attracted more advertising dollars from both campaigns than any other swing state, according to data from AdImpact.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls found Trump up by only half a percentage point in the state over Harris.
America PAC is among several organisations funding Trump's get-out-the-vote efforts in battleground states, a strategic move aimed at boosting turnout while cutting operational costs. The group is also concentrating on swing districts that could help Republicans gain a larger House majority and has invested in digital ad campaigns, some specifically targeting young men to counter Harris' support among women voters.
Musk’s PAC is also utilizing X to recruit canvassers, offering up to $30 an hour for those supporting political candidates who prioritize issues like border security, gun rights, and free speech.
Musk is already a significant player in Washington, with his companies having secured billions in federal contracts, but a Trump victory could enhance his influence further. The former president has indicated he would appoint Musk to spearhead an initiative to audit the federal government and cut spending.
Earlier this month, Musk shared the stage with Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the location of an assassination attempt against the former president in July. He was also seen at a Pittsburgh Steelers game, wearing a black "Dark MAGA" cap, a nod to Trump’s campaign slogan.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
