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By Marie Boran
Technology Reporter
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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced he will attend the upcoming rally for Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the former president was shot in an assassination attempt.
This marks the first time Musk will attend a Republican rally, signaling a significant shift in his political engagement.
Musk confirmed his attendance in a post on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, saying: "I will be there to support!." The Tweet has so far garnered 9.8 million views.
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The rally at Butler, on Saturday October 5, where the Republican presidential candidate was hit by a rooftop sniper nearly two months ago, is expected to draw a large crowd.
Musk's public support for Trump comes amid a series of critical remarks directed at Vice President Harris and the current administration. In a series of posts on X, Musk intensified his criticism, expressing concerns over government policies and their impact on America's future.
"Unless something is done about the bureaucratic smothering of America, humanity will never reach the stars," Musk wrote. He emphasized his belief that re-electing Trump is crucial for preventing "continued expansion of oppressive big government, making progress impossible."
Musk further elaborated on his stance regarding space exploration and humanity's future. "Unless we become multiplanetary, it is simply a matter of time before a natural or manmade calamity destroys life on Earth, just like what happened to the dinosaurs," he stated. "This election is existential for life as we know it."
Newsweek reached out to X via email for comment from Elon Musk.
In another post, Musk addressed concerns about government spending. Responding to venture capitalist and former PayPal CFO Roelof Botha's critique of increased federal expenditure, Musk wrote, "Extreme government spending is driving our country to bankruptcy!"
Musk also took aim at Vice President Harris's political record, claiming, "Kamala's voting track record when she was in the Senate was to the left of Bernie Sanders! She was rated most far left of all 100 senators. Not a moderate at all."
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He voiced apprehension about immigration policies, suggesting that the Democratic Party aims to legalize undocumented immigrants to secure electoral advantages. "The Kamala Dem machine wants to legalize all illegals, which would turn all swing states blue immediately and ensure permanent one-party rule in America!" Musk said.
The Tesla CEO also shared a link to a post featuring Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer discussing immigration reform, adding: "It's only a matter of time before the illegals in the swing states are legally able to vote. If it were up to leading Dems, they would be allowed to vote right now!"
Musk's comments have sparked a broader conversation about his involvement in politics, and his alignment with Trump has drawn criticism from various quarters.
Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, recently issued a cautionary message to Musk regarding his support for Trump.
In a post on X, Cuban said: "Elon, there will come a time when you need something from Donald Trump. You will think you have earned the right to ask and receive. You have been a loyal, faithful soldier for him. You have supported him politically with 10s of millions of dollars.
"Then, at the point you need him the most, you will find out what so many before you have learned, his loyalty is only to himself."
This isn't the first time Musk has faced criticism over his political involvement. In September, he faced backlash for a post about President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris that some interpreted as inappropriate. The White House condemned the post, stating that "violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about."
At the time, the U.S. Secret Service said it was "aware" of the post in which Musk said that "no one is even trying" to assassinate President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. Musk deleted the post from X soon after, claiming it was intended as a joke.
Musk's relationship with the Democratic Party has been increasingly strained. In August, Harris' campaign team mocked Musk's technical difficulties during a live interview with Trump on X, calling out the "self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a live stream in the year 2024."
Musk also faced criticism for his response to singer Taylor Swift's endorsement of Vice President Harris. After Swift announced her support, Musk replied on X: "Fine Taylor ... you win ... I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life." The comment was met with backlash, with many users labeling it as inappropriate.
Trump has welcomed Musk's support. The former president has even suggested involving Musk in a "government efficiency commission" if re-elected.
During a September 5 speech at the Economic Club of New York Trump said: "At the suggestion of Elon Musk, who has given me his complete and total endorsement...I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms."
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