Elon Musk ditched by his own employees? Tesla, SpaceX and X workers donate more to Trump's rival Kamala Harris

Elon Musk has endorsed Donald Trump in the race for the White House, but employees at his collection of companies are largely donating to Kamala Harris.

Updated on: Sep 18, 2024, 22:59:25 IST

ReutersPosted by Shweta Kukreti

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Billionaire Elon Musk has endorsed Republican former President Donald Trump in the race for the White House, but employees at his collection of companies are largely donating to Trump's Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

Employees at Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX have donated $34,526 to Harris versus $7,652 to Donald Trump. (File Images)

Workers at Tesla have contributed $42,824 to Harris' presidential campaign versus $24,840 to Trump's campaign, according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan nonprofit that tracks U.S. campaign contributions and lobbying data.

Employees at Musk's rocket company SpaceX have donated $34,526 to Harris versus $7,652 to Trump. Employees at the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, have donated $13,213 to Harris versus less than $500 to Trump.

While the figures are relatively small for campaign fundraising, they indicate political leanings at odds with Musk's own. The world's richest man, Musk has boosted Trump on X and dismissed left-leaning ideas as a "woke-mind virus."

Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He backed President Joe Biden in 2020 but has tacked rightward since then. Trump has said that if he wins the Nov. 5 election, he will appoint Musk to lead a government efficiency commission.

The OpenSecrets data includes donations from company employees and owners and those individuals' immediate family members. Campaign finance laws prohibit companies themselves from donating to federal campaigns.

Many of Musk's employees are based in California, a Democratic stronghold, said Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, which is a Tesla shareholder. Gerber is also an investor in X.

In July, Musk said he would move X and SpaceX headquarters to Texas from California because of a California gender-identity law he called the "last straw." Gerber said such a move would mean "losing out on a lot of potential talent" in California.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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