Elon Musk has declared that he will be joining Donald Trump to an election rally at the location of the former president’s attempted assassination in July. Musk’s decision to support Trump has sparked controversy among his followers and the general public, with many questioning his alignment with the former president’s divisive policies. Some speculate that Musk’s appearance at the rally may be a strategic move to further his own business interests or political ambitions.
Musk, 53, declared on Friday that he will attend the gathering the next day in Butler, Pennsylvania.
As November draws near, Musk became more active in politics, regularly writing about his support for Trump and disparaging Democrats. One of Musk’s posts from last month was removed, stating that “no one is even trying” to kill either Vice President Kamala Harris or former Democratic contender Joe Biden. Musk brushed the criticism surrounding his comment as a joke. “It turns out that jokes delivered in plain text are much less funny if people don’t understand the context,” the man stated. Musk announced earlier this year that he was giving $45 million to America PAC, a political action organization that backed Trump’s candidacy.
Although he has long bashed the industry, arguing it affects workers in traditional auto manufacturers, Trump has spoken highly of Musk on numerous occasions, even going so far as to declare he supports the billionaire’s production of electrical vehicles.
Pennsylvania is a crucial swing state for Trump, who is in the thick of a competitive contest to win a second term as US president in November. Trump held the office from 2017 to 2021.
Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running partner, and his son Eric Trump are also scheduled to attend on Saturday.
Retweeting Trump’s own rally announcement, Musk posted on his social media site X, saying, “I will be there to support.”
In recent months, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has grown closer to President Trump.
Following the gunman’s bullet that narrowly missed President Trump’s ear, Musk declared he would back the Republican nominee for a second term.
Following the incident, Musk stated, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.”
Later on, he shared: “The martyr lived.”
Corey Comperatore, a Trump fan, was killed in the July 13 shooting while he was listening to the former president speak. Numerous other people suffered injuries.
Trump consented to an interview with Musk on X in August. The former president expressed admiration for Musk’s decision to terminate some of his staff after they voiced concerns about working conditions during their one-hour meeting.
I adore it, Trump exclaimed. “I observe what you perform. You simply say, “You wanna quit?” as soon as you enter. They start a walkout. I won’t identify the company, but when they go on strike, you tell them it’s okay. All of you have left. “Everyone of you has left.”
In addition, Trump promised to choose Musk to lead a “government efficiency” office that would audit other government agencies and reduce restrictions.
Musk has previously dabbled in politics before supporting Trump. Musk and Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Brazilian Supreme Court have a history of public disagreements. In May 2023, Musk visited Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was then announcing his brief presidential candidacy.
Similar to Musk’s August talk with Trump, there were technical issues during that X-broadcast DeSantis conversation.
The assassination attempt in Butler, US in July has sparked discussions about political violence and the training of Secret Service agents. The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by snipers. Trump was also targeted in a second attempt last month, foiled by a Secret Service agent who saw the rifle barrel pointing through a fence. The suspect, Ryan Routh, has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. The Trump campaign has pledged to honor the American spirit and not let monsters like the assassin have the last word. Several family members and emergency personnel will attend the rally on Saturday.
