Tech mogul Elon Musk endorsed former President Donald J. Trump’s presidential campaign mere minutes after Trump was rushed off the stage at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. As chaos ensued and Trump was hurried to a hospital, Musk posted on X, the platform he owns, stating, “I fully endorse President Trump and wish him a speedy recovery.” He later shared a photo of Trump from the incident, adding, “The last time America had such a resilient candidate was Theodore Roosevelt.”


While the quickness of Musk’s endorsement—around 30 minutes after Trump’s emergency departure—was startling, the content was not. As the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk has notably shifted rightward during Biden's presidency. He has criticized Biden extensively and hinted at supporting Trump for years. For over a year, Trump’s allies have sought Musk’s endorsement and financial backing, as Musk has garnered a strong following among the online right.


With a fortune estimated at $265 billion by Bloomberg, Musk has the potential to significantly influence Trump’s campaign. Historically, he has refrained from major political donations, claiming he tries to avoid political involvement despite his conservative views on immigration and cultural issues.


Musk’s relationship with Trump has been contentious. In October 2022, he reinstated Trump’s X account, previously banned after the January 6 Capitol attack. Since then, Musk, who has nearly 190 million followers on the platform, has frequently criticized President Biden's policies and age.


Following his endorsement on Saturday, Musk questioned the Secret Service’s failure to prevent the attack on Trump. He speculated on X that the agency either demonstrated “extreme incompetence or it was deliberate,” calling for the resignation of its leadership. He also criticized Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service director, and Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Secretary, with whom he has previously clashed over immigration policies. Musk even suggested that Secretary Mayorkas “ought to be in jail.”