Let us say that Donald Trump’s victory was a stark contrast to the old media confidence that the race was “too close to predict.” So did the traditional media get it wrong? Or was it an act of wishful thinking? We’ll probably never know, but that’s a mystery for another day.
Today, let’s talk about the man of the hour: Elon Musk. The billionaire, who spent months reshaping Twitter (now X) after he bought it in 2021, has been duly accused by mainstream media of amplifying certain voices and suppressing others. However, he seemed to be playing his role in shaping public opinion like a maestro. I can’t help but wonder if Trump will stop during his Florida victory lap to praise Musk, perhaps because he served him such sweet electoral success on a digital platter.
“Amazing man”
Trump has often been generous with praise, and Musk actually gave him his due with loud cheers from the gathered crowd, declaring: “A star is born!” He described him as a “wonderful man.” If Trump were a fan of Bollywood, he would have been better off telling the Tesla CEO: “Jo Geeta Wahi Sikander“! Because Musk, the great gambler, bet his entire empire — X, Tesla, SpaceX and other ventures — on Trump. And now it’s paid off handsomely.”
Podcaster Joe Rogan’s millions of followers might point out that his endorsement is a game-changer. Who knows, maybe it was. Roger, the world’s most followed broadcaster, endorsed Trump in the final days of the campaign and reached millions. He also interviewed J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, and Musk. For those who don’t know, Rogan has 18 million subscribers on YouTube and 14 million on Spotify. Musk has 200 million followers on X. No traditional media outlet has that kind of reach. Established media outlets may not like this data, but it’s hard to argue against the fact that Musk’s massive reach and hands-on approach to steering the Trump campaign in the right direction have paid big dividends.
Musk spaces session
As the vote came to a close, Musk decided to tap into Spaces to have a live chat on He engaged with people like a seasoned political analyst, answering questions and giving his take on the high stakes of the election and the future of American politics. It was undoubtedly a one-man show of support for his new ally Trump. In response to a question, he warned that he was still unsure of the imminent victory on election night, saying: “This will be the last election” if Trump does not win, explaining that he sees these elections as the final stage. However, he seemed confident of Trump’s victory as he saw a steady increase in his popularity in all seven swing states. At one point, he declared that Trump could win all seven swing states. This has actually turned out to be true.
The world’s richest man helped create a political action committee (PAC), called America PAC, whose primary mission was to support a Trump presidency by encouraging early voting and mail-in balloting in swing states. As we’ve seen, in terms of early voting trends, some states are starting to see record numbers. According to the Elections Lab at the University of Florida, more than 8 million Americans have voted early, with 1.8 million people voting in person and 6.5 million mail-in ballots. In his Spaces chat, Musk emphasized the extent to which US PACs are mobilizing voters to go to the polls to vote.
Mainstream media failure
If we were to take the mainstream media, e.g New York Times and The Washington Post Taking their word for it, Musk didn’t just throw a bunch of dollars at the Trump campaign. According to these papers, he has pumped a whopping $80 million to $120 million into his American political action committee — effectively his own political fund for Trump. Musk isn’t your average billionaire donor, either: Typically, most mega donors write a check and watch from the sidelines. However, Musk officially joined the campaign after endorsing his man in July. American media say: He was not just a silent partner, he often spoke on the phone with Trump, and sometimes even went up to his side on stage. In a campaign season filled with political uncertainty and disagreement, Musk has managed to stand out by turning himself into a veritable Trump megaphone.
Right now, Musk’s popularity in the United States may only be lower than Trump’s. It would not be an exaggeration to say that many would have encouraged him to be a future presidential candidate if he could have run for the coveted office (he cannot because he was not born in the United States). However, he managed to make a splash in the 2024 presidential election. His bold $1 million gift to voters raised questions about election law. Experts were divided: Some claimed it headed into gray legal territory, while others argued it was a loophole-free move, because signing his petition is not explicitly tied to voter registration. The court rejected a petition challenging Musk’s move.
The moment of reckoning
Ironically, Musk, 53, was not long ago a moderate Democrat. It is known that he and Barack Obama, who was elected twice, were friends. He supported Obama in 2008 and 2012. He even donated to his re-election campaign. During Biden’s presidency, he described himself as “half Democrat, half Republican” and “socially liberal and fiscal conservative.”
Musk’s endorsement of Trump came on the heels of Trump surviving an assassination attempt in July 2024. He wasted no time, expressing his “full support” and wishing Trump a speedy recovery. He later praised Trump’s policies, especially on immigration and meritocracy, leaving little doubt about his loyalty. His endorsement clearly boosted Trump’s image among conservative and libertarian audiences. Musk’s alignment with the Republican Party’s divisive politics has drawn his share of criticism, but it’s undeniable that his influence helped give Trump a major boost in visibility and credibility.
Biden’s snub was ill-advised
But what really drove Musk into Trump’s arms? Apparently, it was none other than Joe Biden. It was widely reported in 2021 that when Tesla officials reached out to the White House multiple times, they were repeatedly rebuffed. The Biden administration’s desire to avoid angering the powerful United Auto Workers union, which has been critical of Tesla’s labor practices, was clearly the main reason behind the snub.
What’s even more frustrating for Musk is that he thought he was too angry when the FCC denied SpaceX’s request for nearly $900 million in broadband subsidies, stating that the company failed to “meet basic program requirements.” “. Musk disagreed with the decision, noting that Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, was the only provider actively working to solve rural broadband issues at scale. Musk felt the decision was part of a “pattern of regulatory harassment” against him. Several times, Musk has vented his frustration against government regulatory authorities, describing them as anti-development. After Biden came to power, scrutiny of Musk’s various projects intensified, with investigations and actions from at least seven federal agencies.
Musk, now a regulator for regulators?
Many have asked, what is the benefit of musk? Fair question. Trump isn’t exactly shy about this, having already offered the role of chairman of the Commission on Government Efficiency to Musk, effectively promising him a front-row seat to cuts in federal spending and shrinking regulators. When asked about Trump’s pitch in the Spaces live chat, Musk seemed ready to launch, claiming he would tackle government “overspending” by downsizing agencies. “There shouldn’t be more referees than players,” he joked, referring to the system’s myriad regulatory bodies, which, he says, stifle innovation more than they support it.
It’s ridiculous, though. Musk, who has thrived under government oversight launching electric vehicles, rockets and even internet satellites, is poised to lead the charge against the same regulatory maze that has consolidated his empire but has, of course, sometimes harassed him. Conflict of interest? maybe. But Musk seems quite happy to play regulator in front of regulators.
(Syed Zubair Ahmed is a senior Indian journalist based in London with three decades of experience in Western media)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
