At a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made an appearance endorsing the Republican presidential nominee as the savior of democracy in the US. Addressing the excited crowd, Trump called Musk “a truly incredible guy” who will help secure the country’s future. The billionaire tycoon promptly leapt onto the stage wearing a black baseball cap emblazoned with the Trump campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.
Musk spoke to the rally, noting that it was being held in the same location where Trump had narrowly survived an assassination attempt back in July. He referred to another incident involving US President Joe Biden losing his footing while boarding Air Force One, saying, “The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire.” Musk then added, “Fight, fight, fight! Blood coming down the face!” as he raised his fist in the air.
As a self-described “free speech absolutist” and owner of X, Musk went on to call the November presidential vote “the most important election of our lifetime.” He continued by saying that the other side wants to take away freedom of speech, right to bear arms, and the right to vote. Stressing the importance of this election for democracy in America, he said, “President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. He must win to preserve democracy in America,” while the jubilant crowd chanted “Elon Musk.
Although Musk previously claimed political neutrality, he began leaning towards Trump in recent months. Publicly endorsing him after the assassination attempt, the CEO has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration and Democrats for perceived government overreach and red tape. Additionally, he expressed concern about the level of illegal immigration into the US, which has been a key issue for Trump’s campaign.
Earlier this month, Trump promised to establish a Musk-led government efficiency commission to audit the entire federal apparatus if he wins the election.