An exclusive New York Times report that revealed tech billionaire Elon Musk wants to pour $100 million of his vast fortune into political groups aligned with President Donald Trump drew outrage from observers who pointed out the curious timing of new the multimillion-dollar effort from the world's richest person.
The eyeball-popping donation was “unheard-of” for a White House staffer, according to the Times’ reporting on Tuesday, which detailed the DOGE head's upcoming plans for his presidential boss.
But the move didn’t sit well with onlookers – who noted that the report hit the same day that Trump used the White House lawn to promote Musk's Tesla electric vehicles, as the company's stock has plummeted in the last seven weeks.
“Trump cuts a Tesla ad at the White House, and Elon thanks him with a $100 million donation,” Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) wrote on X. “Outright corruption.”
“It’s totally unacceptable, @elonmusk is giving Trump political operation ANOTHER $100 million as he giggles with a chain saw and cuts staff, veterans, and needed services,” former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) told his followers on Bluesky. “This is NOT what our founding fathers envisioned, an oligarchy in all but name.”
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“The billionaire tech-bros are trying to buy our democracy,” attorney Bernadette Foley posted on X.
“Guess this is how much the sale of those ugly cars in front of the WH was worth?” Murshed Zaheed, a former senior leadership aide for the late Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), told his followers on Bluesky.
"Congratulations to President Trump on becoming the best-paid car salesman ever," Eric Columbus, a former Justice Department appointee under President Barack Obama wrote on Bluesky.
Attorney and columnist William Cooper wrote about the news on Bluesky: “Today's *real* headline that The Onion wouldn't have even tried: Elon Musk funnels $100 million into Trump political groups as duo holds Tesla car show at White House.”
Bloomberg columnist Matthew Yglesias even summed up the development on X in two words: "Incredible stuff."