Tech billionaire Elon Musk said that he has “done enough” political spending when asked if he would donate as much to midterm candidates as he did in the 2024 presidential election.
Musk was being interviewed by BBC journalist Mishal Husain at the Qatar Economic Forum when he made the comments. The 53-year-old is focusing on his companies after running a government accountability office for President Donald Trump.
‘If I see a reason to do political spending in the future, I will do it. I do not currently see a reason.’
“I wondered whether you’ve decided yet how much you’re going to spend on the upcoming midterms,” asked Husain. “You’ve spent a lot more money on the last year’s election than you envisioned when you were speaking here three years ago. Are you going to continue to spend at that kind of level on future elections?”
“I think in terms of political spending, I’m gonna do a lot less in the future,” Musk responded.
It is estimated that Musk gave about $288 million in political donations in the 2024 election.
“I think I’ve done enough,” he added.
“Is it because of blowback?” asked Husain.
“Well, if I see a reason to do political spending in the future, I will do it,” he replied. “I do not currently see a reason.”
Musk’s companies Starlink and Tesla have faced blowback from many on the left who oppose his political support of Trump and his involvement in cutting down the size of government. Protests against his companies have, in some cases, resulted in vandalism and violence.
Photo by Christopher Pike/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Husain and Musk also sparred over the claims he made about cutting government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency. She pointed out that he had set a goal of saving more than $2 trillion in government spending but had realized only about $170 billion in savings.
“Your question is absurd in its fundamental premise,” Musk replied and defended the DOGE on the basis of the savings his team was able to find.
Husain pressed him, and he accused her of acting like an “NPC,” which is a gamer insult referring to “non-player characters” who do not think for themselves in video games.
“I feel you’re somewhat trapped in the NPC dialogue tree of a traditional journalist. So it’s difficult when conversing with someone who’s trapped in a dialogue tree of a conventional journalist, because it’s like talking to a computer,” Musk replied.
“DOGE is an advisory group. We’re doing the best we can as an advisory group. The progress we’ve made thus far, as an advisory group, is excellent. I don’t think any advisory group has done better in the history of advisory groups of the government,” he added. “We do not make the laws.”
He went on to say that people should focus on the fact that $60 billion was saved already through the efforts of the DOGE.
Elsewhere in the wide-ranging interview, Musk attacked the legacy media and especially the Wall Street Journal.
“I’m a technologist, first and foremost,” said Musk at the close of the interview.
Video of the full interview can be viewed on the YouTube channel for the Austin-American Statesman.
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