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Tesla<\/a> CEO Elon Musk donated $45 million to a super political action committee (PAC) dedicated to re-electing former President Donald Trump, a marked shift into the political landscape by the world\u2019s richest person. That\u2019s according to a Wall Street Journal<\/em> report<\/a>, citing people familiar with the matter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Only days before publicly endorsing the former president<\/a>, Musk donated to the America PAC, a low-profile group formed in June to fund Trump\u2019s bid for the presidency. He previously vowed not to donate to Biden or Trump in their rematch for the White House.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cJust to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President,\u201d Musk wrote on X<\/a> in March.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet, Musk has shifted politically in recent months, accelerated by his nearly nonstop support for Trump, which Musk reiterated in the wake of an assassination attempt<\/a> on the presumptive GOP nominee during a campaign rally Saturday. As the CEO of an electric vehicle manufacturer\u2014the Tesla Model Y the best-selling vehicle last year in decidedly progressive California\u2014it\u2019s unclear whether Musk\u2019s stance will clash with the political leanings of electric vehicle buyers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Beyond<\/a> Musk, serious tech money is flowing into the PAC from Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss and Joe Lonsdale, Palantir Technologies<\/a> cofounder, the WSJ<\/em> reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n Political shift<\/strong><\/p>\n Musk \u2013 who has donated to both Democrats and Republicans \u2013 previously described himself as an independent who donates only to extend his influence among politicians.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has donated about $80,639 per election cycle from 2004-2020, according to the nonprofit OpenSecrets. About 50.1% of that money went to Republican causes, of the $688,350<\/a> that went directly to federal candidates and party committees.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI get involved in politics as little as possible,\u201d he said during a 2015 Vanity Fair event<\/a>. \u201cThere\u2019s some amount I have to get involved in, mostly because SpaceX<\/a> has to battle Boeing<\/a> and Lockheed for national security and civil space launch contracts. If we don\u2019t battle them, then we\u2019ll lose.\u201d<\/p>\n Musk has said he previously voted for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and current President Joe Biden but also endorsed Republican House candidates during the 2022 race.\u00a0<\/p>\n In recent years, Musk\u2019s philosophy has clearly shifted away from neutrality towards a stronger right-wing stance. Some<\/a> have marked his 2022 purchase of X \u2013 formerly Twitter \u2013 as the beginning of his political involvement, where he gave himself a platform to espouse his frequent critiques of Biden.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI voted 100% Dem until a few years ago,\u201d Musk said<\/a> in March. \u201cNow I think we need a red wave or America is toast.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nRecommended Newsletter:<\/strong> The Fortune Next to Lead newsletter is a must-read for the next generation of C-suite leaders. Every Monday, the newsletter provides the strategies, resources, and expert insight needed to claim the most coveted positions in business. Subscribe now<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n