Watch: Elon Musk’s Effort to Connect With Trump Voters Is Super Cringe
SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk has taken to campaigning solo for Donald Trump, but his campaign stops might be doing more harm than good for the Republican presidential nominee.
While speaking to a crowd in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the Tesla CEO stumbled and fumbled his way through interactions with everyday Pennsylvanians, failing to convince attendees that they should vote early. Some people were especially unimpressed by the effort, shouting out: “Why?”
In one particularly cringe-worthy interaction, Musk sided with a hardcore 2020 election denier, blaming the media and the Department of Justice for the man’s alleged legal troubles. But the tech mogul would only get so close to the narrative: when offered a book on election denialism and voting machine conspiracies, Musk couldn’t keep up the shtick.
“We have hundreds of people, right now, ready. They’re out taking videos, they’re training poll workers. And we are not getting support from many people in the first front rows here. And their pictures, if we want to know who they are, are in this book,” the man said.
Musk’s response? Use his companies.
“What I recommend is post content on the X platform, and then people can—they can—they can argue and say it’s right or wrong, but if you have videos or evidence then post them publicly on social media and people can, you know, judge themselves, exactly,” Musk said.
“Let’s not get contentious. Team work makes the dream work here,” he continued, to gentle cheers. “I don’t want to dissuade anyone from voting. It’s very important to vote. So any actions with respect to voting machines, we certainly want to put them under intense scrutiny, but nonetheless, everyone needs to vote.”
Elon Musk in Pennsylvania in response to a hardcore election denier who tried to give him a book he wasn't keen to receive: "Let's not get contentious." pic.twitter.com/R1Q7mE5TkT
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2024
Getting more Americans to turn out en masse for the former president has been high on the top of Musk’s agenda since he endorsed him in July, moments after Trump survived an assassination attempt near Butler, Pennsylvania. Earlier on Thursday, Musk offered hard cash to his more than 200 million followers on X if they signed a petition in support of the First and Second Amendments.
“If you’re a registered Pennsylvania voter, you & whoever referred you will now get $100 for signing our petition in support of free speech & right to bear arms. Earn money for supporting something you already believe in! Offer valid until midnight on Monday,” Musk wrote.