Elon Musk and the legacy of moguls in American politics

Elon Musk and the legacy of moguls in American politics

Business has been intertwined with American politics since before the nation’s founding. And although unelected business leaders play a major role in financing campaigns and policy initiatives, few in recent memory have taken as personal and public a role in politics as Elon Musk.

Even before the 2024 election, the South African-born entrepreneur often interacted with the U.S. government via his companies. His electric car manufacturer, Tesla, has received green energy subsidies, while his company Space X holds multiple contracts with NASA and the U.S. military to provide space-launch services, develop vehicles, and operate flights.

Through SpaceX, Musk also played a key role in U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion by providing Starlink satellite internet terminals to Ukrainian forces. Musk’s involvement in the war became a source of concern after reports emerged that he was directly making decisions regarding the terminals’ use in the field and was in personal contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials.

Musk attained an even more notable role in the media through his 2022 purchase of social media platform Twitter, which had become a de facto public square where journalists, companies and government officials made public announcements and engaged in discussion alongside regular users.

Renaming the site X, Musk overhauled verification and content moderation policies to combat what he described as left-wing bias, reinstating President Donald Trump’s account as well as multiple accounts that had been banned for hate speech. As the presidential election drew near, Musk used the platform to boost Trump’s policy positions, eventually making campaign appearances alongside him and sitting in on his calls with foreign leaders.

Musk’s involvement culminated in the businessman being announced as head of a new advisory commission on government efficiency, named after an internet meme and cryptocurrency that Musk himself had popularized.

But while Musk’s involvement in U.S. politics may be unusual compared to his contemporaries, it recalls earlier eras when larger-than-life business leaders exercised great influence over the country’s affairs.

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