From Tesla to Donald Trump: Behind Elon Musk's giant leap into politics
- by Indiatimes
- Oct 11, 2024
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Last Updated: Oct 11, 2024, 10:04:00 PM IST
Rate Story The billionaire's influence extends beyond his wealth.
Musk uses his X account, with more than 200 million followers, to amplify misinformation and controversial narratives that align with Trump's campaign messaging.
The platform's light-touch content moderation allows Trump-backed distortions and lies to thrive that might be restricted on other social media sites.
"It's very different to have a figure like Musk who owns a social media platform, versus him just being out there as his own individual," said Sophie Bjork-James, assistant professor of anthropology at Vanderbilt University.
"Musk is helping to mainstream these racist conspiracy theories and bring in mainly white men who may either be disengaged or former political liberals."
In a recent get-out-the-vote initiative, Musk's America super PAC, a political action committee, promised to pay $47 to anyone who gets a registered swing-state voter to sign a petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms.
"Easy money," Musk posted about the potentially multi-million-dollar effort.
'King of the world'
Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, summarized Musk's political toolkit: "Musk's influence is money, his super PAC and X. He's not shy about using all three to push Trump - and even push misrepresentations and falsehoods that help Trump."
For supporters, Musk's political involvement is an extension of his successful track record with companies like SpaceX, which now plays a central role in the US space program.
"In almost every case, Musk's innovations paralleled things the government was trying to do, but he did it better," Youngstown State University political science professor Paul Sracic told the Washington Examiner.
But Musk's political stance is affecting public perception of his businesses.
Mark Hass, an Arizona State University professor who has advised major corporations, noted that driving a Tesla is no longer "the first choice if you want to demonstrate your environmental bona fides, because of his association with Trump."
As the 2024 election approaches, Musk's political evolution represents a new force in American politics: a tech titan with vast wealth, media influence and authoritarian leanings, Hass added.
His actions in the coming weeks could significantly affect both the election outcome and the future landscape of politics.
Musk could become a "king of the world," said Hass.
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