Trump and Allies Seek Elon Musk to Take the Stage at Republican
Former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) reportedly want to persuade Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, to speak at the GOP convention in July. Sources indicate that Republican leaders believe Musk’s presence could boost support among young adult voters, potentially addressing the party’s historical challenges in this demographic. The idea of Musk speaking at the convention was disclosed after a reported meeting between Musk, Trump, and wealthy Republican donors in Palm Beach, Florida.
The potential endorsement by Musk, who also owns the social media site X, could provide implicit or explicit support for Trump’s candidacy, similar to Peter Thiel’s role at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Thiel, a long-time financial backer of Musk, co-founded PayPal with him.
Interest in having Musk speak at the convention has reportedly been discussed with Ronna McDaniel, the former RNC chair. The new RNC chair, Michael Whatley, and co-chair, Lara Trump, will likely support Musk. If extended, the RNC’s invitation to Musk may signal a strategic move to leverage Musk’s influence and appeal to younger voters.
The meeting with Trump and Musk occurred just days before the Super Tuesday primaries. Trump secured landslide victories, leading to the withdrawal of his primary challenger, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. Musk has not publicly ruled out supporting Trump’s campaign financially, and some of Trump’s advisors are reportedly hoping for Musk’s backing.
While Musk’s political stance has evolved, with recent right-leaning commentary on X and support for specific Republican candidates, he did not endorse Trump in the previous presidential campaigns. The relationship between Musk and Trump has seen moments of disagreement, such as Musk’s departure from a Trump White House advisory council in 2017 over the Paris climate accord.
The potential involvement of Musk in the GOP convention reflects the growing intersection of tech leaders and politics, with Musk becoming a prominent figure in political discourse and social media. Whether Musk accepts the invitation and officially endorses Trump remains to be seen.
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