Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in an interview with controversial Canadian psychologist Jordan B Peterson that he never said he was donating $45 million per month to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
"What's being reported in the media is not true. I am not donating $45 million a month to Trump," Musk stated in said interview.
Musk went on to state that he has created a PAC (political action committee) that can legally receive funding and in turn fund political campaigns.
"PACs allow a lot more money into the system that would've been otherwise impossible," the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said.
Elon Musk confirms that he created the America PAC.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) July 22, 2024
But he says that the idea that he is not putting $45 million a month into the group.
“What’s been reported in the media is simply not true. I am not donating $45 million a month to Trump.”pic.twitter.com/V8we3Iqbwb
Musk said that the PAC he has created is called the 'America PAC', and its "intent is to promote the principles that made America great in the first place".
Musk had indicated that he planned to start his donations in July to the America PAC, backing former President Donald Trump's presidential run, Wall Street Journal had earlier reported. However, the South Africa-born businessman was not listed on a filing by the group, which shows that it has raised more than $8 million.
On July 13, Musk had publicly endorsed Trump for the first time in the US presidential race, hours after Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally.
This move cements Musk's shift towards right-wing politics and gives Trump a high-profile backer in his bid to return to the White House in the Nov. 5 election.
The tech mogul has been attacking President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party on X. Harris is currently the frontrunner to replace Biden as the Democrats' presidential candidate, and Musk has now sharpened his attacks against her as well.
Shouldn’t the nominee be decided by a party vote? Democracy etc … pic.twitter.com/EH0aYvSG1m
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2024
Trump on Monday chose Ohio US Senator J D Vance to be his vice presidential running mate, as the Republican Party officially nominated the former president to run again for the White House.
(With Reuters inputs)