Elon Musk’s close friends have initiated a new super PAC, America PAC, aimed at supporting former President Donald J. Trump in the upcoming 2024 presidential race. This move could potentially involve Mr. Musk and his substantial fortune of $250 billion in the political landscape.
According to sources close to the group, America PAC is likely to garner support from Elon Musk, although it is not confirmed whether he has made any donations as of yet. The founding donors of the super PAC consist of individuals within Mr. Musk’s social circle, including a network of affluent tech entrepreneurs who frequently back each other’s ventures, charitable initiatives, and preferred political candidates.
Notably, as of the end of June 30, Elon Musk had not contributed to the super PAC, as indicated in a recent filing with the Federal Election Commission. However, his recent leanings towards conservative views, particularly evident in his X social media platform commentary, have sparked hopes among Republicans for his increased involvement in funding conservative causes and candidates. Following a recent incident where Mr. Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt, Elon Musk took to X to express a strong endorsement of the former president.
The super PAC is reportedly co-led by Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir and a politically active venture capitalist in Austin who is a trusted advisor to Elon Musk. Mr. Lonsdale has been instrumental in kickstarting the group’s fundraising efforts, leveraging his influential network of entrepreneurs to garner support. His company has already donated $1 million to the organization.
Among the top early donors to America PAC are prominent conservatives from the tech industry. Notable contributions include $1 million from Antonio Gracias, a SpaceX board director and private-equity magnate; $1 million from Ken Howery, an early PayPal executive who also served as Mr. Trump’s ambassador to Sweden; and $500,000 from Shaun Maguire, an investor at Sequoia Capital with close ties to Elon Musk.
Although details about America PAC’s operations and strategy remain limited, it has been disclosed that the group has been actively engaged in field and digital initiatives on behalf of the former president. Their efforts primarily focus on promoting early and mail-in voting. Dave Rexrode, a seasoned political operative who has been a key ally to Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, is said to play a significant role within the organization, although he has not responded to recent requests for comment.
