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Elon Musk became the latest billionaire to jump to Donald Trump\u2019s defense on Friday following the former president\u2019s conviction<\/a> of falsifying business records in relation to hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Tesla<\/a> CEO fired off a post on X<\/a> early Friday morning, calling the decision \u201cmotivated by politics, rather than justice,<\/a>\u201d and warning that a conviction over \u201csuch a trivial matter\u201d did serious damage to the public\u2019s faith in the American legal system.\u00a0<\/p>\n The comment was posted in response to another X user lamenting that the first felony conviction of an American president was for a \u201c$130,000 payment for a porn star\u2019s NDA<\/a>,\u201d rather than \u201cillegal CIA coups, drone striking weddings, or spying on Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, great damage was done today to the public\u2019s faith in the American legal system.<\/p>\n If a former President can be criminally convicted over such a trivial matter \u2013 motivated by politics, rather than justice \u2013 then anyone is at risk of a similar fate. https:\/\/t.co\/zrHCyIZazh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The day before, hedge fund CEO Bill Ackman weighed in on the verdict as well<\/a>, decrying it as politically motivated.\u00a0<\/p>\n Following a post on X by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calling the verdict \u201ca testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City,<\/a>\u201d Ackman chimed in that \u201cany objective person would have to agree with Gov. Ron DeSantis here.\u201d Musk also replied to the Florida governor\u2019s post with an affirmative \u201cwell said.\u201d<\/p>\n Today\u2019s verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America\u2014all in an effort to \u201cget\u201d Donald Trump.<\/p>\n That\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 30, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Trump himself has also railed against the decision, declaring in a statement following the verdict that the trial was \u201crigged\u201d and referring to himself as a \u201cvery innocent man.\u201d He plans<\/a> to appeal the decision.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal<\/em> reported<\/a> that Musk and Trump have had preliminary talks about an advisory position<\/a> for Musk should the former president win a second term. Though the role might never materialize, Musk would potentially have sway in the White House on matters of border security and the economy.\u00a0\n\n
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Musk and Trump have had a rocky relationship at best, but appear to have grown closer in recent years as the Tesla CEO has vigorously railed against Biden and Democrats<\/a>. In 2022, Musk commented that Biden was \u201ca sock puppet<\/a>\u201d and said that he would no longer support the Democratic Party<\/a>. Just this month he denounced the Biden administration\u2019s decision to place tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles<\/a>. Earlier this year, Musk declared<\/a> that he would not be donating to either major party\u2019s candidate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nSubscribe to Data Sheet, our daily newsletter about the business of tech. Sign up<\/a> for free.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n