Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and a known supporter of Donald Trump, found himself at the center of a new controversy on Friday following a report that he maintains regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Wall Street Journal article, which the Kremlin has denied, surfaced just days after the U.S. Justice Department warned Musk’s America PAC that its $1 million giveaways to registered voters might violate federal law.
At 53, Musk serves as the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla and owns the platform X. He has actively invested his money and influence in efforts to help the former Republican president regain the White House, having endorsed Trump in July.
Musk has reportedly contributed $118 million to his personal pro-Trump political action committee, which raises funds for electoral campaigns. He has also appeared alongside Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and has hosted multiple town halls in the state, which is seen as crucial for the upcoming election.
Though Musk initially supported Barack Obama, he has shifted increasingly toward conservative views in recent years. He frequently shares posts with his 202 million followers on X, promoting Trump while criticizing his opponent, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
Many of Musk’s tweets address issues like the influx of migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico or promote debunked conspiracy theories.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz accused Musk of using his wealth to help Trump “buy an election” and humorously suggested that Musk, rather than J.D. Vance, might be Trump’s true running mate.
If elected, Trump has promised to appoint Musk to lead a “government efficiency commission” aimed at reducing bureaucracy and waste.
