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Is the puppeteer with billions trying to rewrite the rules of democracy?
Elon Musk has launched an unprecedented campaign to influence the outcome of the US presidential election. He used not only his huge financial capabilities, but also the potential of his social network X. At the same time, the billionaire does not even try to hide his support for Donald Trump and his obvious dislike for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Unlike other American tycoons, who usually prefer to operate through behind-the-scenes groups of influence, Musk deliberately draws attention to himself. He regularly appears in public next to Trump and does not skimp on funding the America PAC committee, which works for the Republican candidate.
The figure of the billionaire is so prominent in this presidential race that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is running in conjunction with Harris, called Musk "Trump's real right-hand man."
To date, the owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X has invested more than $132 million in the super-PAC he controls. Such large-scale financing of the election campaign in the United States is formally considered legal, but how exactly these funds are spent raises more and more questions.
For example, the conservative association Building America's Future launches targeted advertising against Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, calling them a "pro-Israel couple" - such videos are shown in areas of Michigan with a predominantly Arab and Muslim population. At the same time, the same group in Pennsylvania is convincing Jewish voters that Harris is too loyal to the Palestinians.
America PAC has been handing out $1 million to registered voters in swing states for a week to sign a petition to support the First and Second Amendments to the Constitution. The Department of Justice has already warned of a possible violation of federal laws.
Experts are particularly concerned about Musk's use of platform X. An investigation by The New York Times found that most of his posts contain misinformation and manipulation. Musk constantly interacts with pro-Trump accounts that spread fakes.
Host X does not hesitate to block material that could harm the Trump campaign. When journalist Ken Klippenstein published a leaked dossier on vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance at the end of September, the platform immediately blocked links to the publication and disabled the journalist's account.
AskZyro's CEO, James Allsopp, argues that Musk can use bots, manipulate engagement algorithms, and use shadowbans to promote profitable political narratives. Among the less obvious techniques is the support of influencers who share his views.
And it's all for a reason. Trump's victory promises the billionaire impressive bonuses. Musk can count on a high position in the government and solid subsidies for his companies. Trump has already announced on Fox News the creation of the position of "secretary for cost optimization" specifically for Musk.
Elon's business empire is now under serious pressure from supervisory authorities. SpaceX is accused of neglecting safety protocols during launches, the EPA is investigating wastewater discharge. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is inspecting 2.4 million Tesla cars after a series of accidents involving autopilot.
The Lever journalists unearthed that thanks to a special clause in the tax code, Musk can claim one of the largest personal tax benefits in the history of the United States - such a privilege is due only to federal officials.
It is now likely that even Trump's defeat will not weaken Musk's influence. Last year, his companies received $3 billion in contracts from 17 federal agencies. SpaceX actually determines the NASA launch schedule, and the Pentagon cannot do without Starlink satellites.
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Elon Musk has launched an unprecedented campaign to influence the outcome of the US presidential election. He used not only his huge financial capabilities, but also the potential of his social network X. At the same time, the billionaire does not even try to hide his support for Donald Trump and his obvious dislike for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Unlike other American tycoons, who usually prefer to operate through behind-the-scenes groups of influence, Musk deliberately draws attention to himself. He regularly appears in public next to Trump and does not skimp on funding the America PAC committee, which works for the Republican candidate.
The figure of the billionaire is so prominent in this presidential race that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is running in conjunction with Harris, called Musk "Trump's real right-hand man."
To date, the owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X has invested more than $132 million in the super-PAC he controls. Such large-scale financing of the election campaign in the United States is formally considered legal, but how exactly these funds are spent raises more and more questions.
For example, the conservative association Building America's Future launches targeted advertising against Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, calling them a "pro-Israel couple" - such videos are shown in areas of Michigan with a predominantly Arab and Muslim population. At the same time, the same group in Pennsylvania is convincing Jewish voters that Harris is too loyal to the Palestinians.
America PAC has been handing out $1 million to registered voters in swing states for a week to sign a petition to support the First and Second Amendments to the Constitution. The Department of Justice has already warned of a possible violation of federal laws.
Experts are particularly concerned about Musk's use of platform X. An investigation by The New York Times found that most of his posts contain misinformation and manipulation. Musk constantly interacts with pro-Trump accounts that spread fakes.
Host X does not hesitate to block material that could harm the Trump campaign. When journalist Ken Klippenstein published a leaked dossier on vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance at the end of September, the platform immediately blocked links to the publication and disabled the journalist's account.
AskZyro's CEO, James Allsopp, argues that Musk can use bots, manipulate engagement algorithms, and use shadowbans to promote profitable political narratives. Among the less obvious techniques is the support of influencers who share his views.
And it's all for a reason. Trump's victory promises the billionaire impressive bonuses. Musk can count on a high position in the government and solid subsidies for his companies. Trump has already announced on Fox News the creation of the position of "secretary for cost optimization" specifically for Musk.
Elon's business empire is now under serious pressure from supervisory authorities. SpaceX is accused of neglecting safety protocols during launches, the EPA is investigating wastewater discharge. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is inspecting 2.4 million Tesla cars after a series of accidents involving autopilot.
The Lever journalists unearthed that thanks to a special clause in the tax code, Musk can claim one of the largest personal tax benefits in the history of the United States - such a privilege is due only to federal officials.
It is now likely that even Trump's defeat will not weaken Musk's influence. Last year, his companies received $3 billion in contracts from 17 federal agencies. SpaceX actually determines the NASA launch schedule, and the Pentagon cannot do without Starlink satellites.
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