Elon Musk's Transition into Trump's Subordinate
Initialfully known as a tech innovator, space explorer, and democratic supporter, the wealthiest individual globally has since transformed into Donald Trump's favorite, sponsor, and propagandist. To fully comprehend this dramatic shift in allegiance, one must delve into Elon Musk's own spoken words.
Open dialogue with a person's own utterances provides an unparalleled insight into their character and motivations. As such, it is essential to look beyond mere hearsay and rumors, and instead focus on the words that emanate from the subject's mouth themselves.
In the case of Elon Musk, this task is both simpler and more complex than with most individuals. The influential CEO of Tesla has employed Twitter/X on an almost-daily basis since 2019, posting around 76,000 times as of now. Closer examination of these tweets, as conducted by the "Wall Street Journal," reveals an intriguing tapestry of a man who has undergone a seismic transformation. Initially, Musk was a non-political electric vehicle pioneer; however, his tweets suggest a transition into a political enthusiast. From a Democratic supporter to a Republican ally. From a tech-savvy entrepreneur to a fervent Trump backer.
Following his famed declaration on Twitter in February 2019, "I am openly moderate. There, I said it," Musk's political leanings shifted dramatically. By July 13, 2024, following an attempted assassination, he posted: "I fully support President Trump." This transformation took five and a half years, during which Musk utilized his platform to chart a course from one end of the political spectrum to the other. Now, he openly backs Trump's campaign and amasses an impressive following as a compliant media partner. Not merely driven by personal conviction, but also by a desire to further his financial interests.
From Jesting to Corona Conspiracy Theorist
Five years prior, Musk primarily commented on his own ventures, Tesla and SpaceX, and occasionally shared a joke. Currently, he is political in his messaging multiple times daily. Since 2019, the frequency of his political commentary has increased over two-hundredfold. Whereas in July of 2019, two-thirds of Musk's tweets related to cars or space, in July of this year, 60 percent concerned politics, media, news, or cultural topics. On average, Musk now tweets approximately 61 times per day, compared to just nine tweets daily five years ago. His entire Twitter output would fill a book that is twice as long as the Bible.
Signs of a rightward shift emerged during the pandemic. Prior to its onset, Musk had clashed with investors on Twitter, insulted critics as pedophiles, and faced a million-dollar fine from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for spreading false information and manipulating the market. That year, Musk evolved into a kind of coronavirus denier, questioning lockdowns and defying instructions from the California government to halt factory operations.
Musk's political transformation accelerated after his acquisition of Twitter in October 2023, when he renamed it X. While his intentions to preserve free speech for all are notable, his primary aim seems to have been to initiate an unfiltered, unhindered platform for the dissemination of his beliefs.
Since his rift with the Biden administration in the latter half of 2022, Musk had grown increasingly estranged. The US president's alleged union ties and exclusion of Tesla from the electric vehicle summit at the White House were key factors in this dissatisfaction. Following the unveiling of the Nevada Gigafactory, Musk publicly berated both Biden and his Democratic allies, ultimately renouncing his previous affiliation with the Democrats.
By May 2022, Musk had officially distanced himself from Democratic politics: "Previously, I've voted for the Democrats because they were the party of love," Musk tweeted. His past contributions to and support for Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden were testament to this. However, Musk now pledged his allegiance to the Republican Party: "Due to unprovoked attacks by leading Democrats, and because they've given Tesla and SpaceX the cold shoulder, I will be voting Republican in November."
Musk's shift towards right-wing politics is not solely driven by financial considerations, however. Personal experiences influenced his transformation, particularly his turbulent relationship with his daughter. Following her gender transition, disownment, and estrangement in 2022, Musk felt betrayed and disillusioned. This led him to engage more fervently in right-wing politics, becoming a vocal critic of gender indoctrination, alleged discrimination against whites, and illegal immigration. Now, he actively seeks to undermine his political opponents, most recently polling about the possibility of impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in February. Trump may even consider inviting Musk into his cabinet should he win the upcoming election, completing Musk's metamorphosis.
The shift in Elon Musk's political leanings has significantly impacted his public persona. Once a non-political figure, Musk's tweets now frequently touch on political topics, transitioning from a Democratic supporter to a vocal Trump ally.
Musk's Twitter activities, which include over 76,000 posts since 2019, have reflected his transformation. Initially focusing on Tesla and SpaceX, his tweets have increasingly addressed politics, with more than 60% of his July 2023 posts centered around political, media, news, and cultural topics.
