Biden's comment that outraged Elon Musk, turning the world's richest man against Democrats and electrifying his support for Trump

Joe Biden outraged Elon Musk erstwhile he said a rival EV executive had 'electrified nan full automobile industry' successful America.

When he said that astir General Motors CEO Mary Barra successful 2021, he gave nan acold enarthrosis to Musk, nan Tesla billionaire who astir in installments pinch nan fame of electrical vehicles successful nan United States.

Whether he knew it aliases not, Biden planted a seed that time that has led Musk - a 2020 Biden elector who claimed to have ne'er formed a ballot for Republicans - toward an confederation pinch Donald Trump.

Biden and Barra were attending aggregate events celebrating Biden's infrastructure rule and an executive order outlining a extremity to person electrical and different zero-emissions vehicles dress up half of nan caller cars and trucks sold by 2030.

Musk was not invited and had to watch Barra - whose General Motors had produced conscionable 26 EVs compared to Tesla's 115,000 successful nan 4th fourth of 2021 - beryllium hailed by Biden arsenic having 'electrified nan full automobile industry' while adding that Detroit - and not Austin, nan location of Tesla - was 'leading nan world successful electrical vehicles'. 

Now, Musk has promised to walk money connected behalf of Trump and has precocious launched societal media attacks against nan president's successor, Kamala Harris.

A caller Wall Street Journal communicative suggests it didn't person to beryllium this way, arsenic Musk made aggregate overtures toward Biden aft he defeated Trump successful 2020.

However, Biden wanted to burnish his credentials arsenic a pro-union president and faced unit from nan United Auto Workers to debar Musk fixed Tesla's anti-union practices.

'We made it clear to nan management astir wherever things were,' said a erstwhile UAW official. 

'We didn't person to make an ultimatum. They understood.' 

Tesla and Musk were outraged by Biden showing nan institution nan acold enarthrosis but Democrats arsenic a full seemed to beryllium drafting Musk's ire arsenic nan Biden presidency went on. 

Musk often publically mocked self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders and left-wing state Elizabeth Warren, who often called for higher taxes connected nan able and greater regularisation against Big Tech.

'When Democratic lawmakers endlessly onslaught someone, nan reply becomes 'screw you.' He's human, and erstwhile group are utilizing you for governmental fodder, of people you will respond successful a definite way,' said erstwhile Michael Bloomberg run head Bradley Tusk. 

Eventually, Musk decided to purpose higher than Sanders aliases Warren, publically stating his dislike of Biden successful 2022 aft he'd praised GM and Ford's EVs, neglecting Tesla 1 much time. 

'Biden is simply a damp [sock emoji] puppet successful quality form,' wrote Musk connected Twitter, which he yet bought and re-named X.

Despite immoderate efforts by those adjacent to Biden, Musk started to announcement that nan White House was coming aft him, nan the Federal Trade Commission and US Justice Department investigating X and Tesla.

All of these issues person snowballed into an avalanche which has led Musk to make friends pinch Capitol Hill's Republicans, contempt Tesla benefitting from Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and Musk's individual wealthiness increasing during nan Biden presidency.

He holds talks regularly pinch Speaker of nan House Mike Johnson and has formed an confederation pinch Congressman Jim Jordan, who has launched investigations into actions taken against Musk.

In caller years, Musk has threatened to put his money wherever his rima his, contempt having donated to some parties successful nan past.

Musk said successful 2022 that he to wanted create a 'Super Moderate Super PAC' that would raise money for candidates pinch centrist views - sloppy of their governmental party. 

The Tesla boss, instead, explained that he planned to commencement 'lower level' donations successful July to nan America PAC he group up to backmost nan former president pinch monolithic rate injections.

Musk's individual donations were reported to beryllium planned astatine $45 cardinal a month, successful summation to those by different deep-pocketed Trump fans.

But he belatedly denied past week's Wall Street Journal study touting nan monolithic figure, citing group acquainted pinch Musk's plans.

'What's been reported successful nan media is simply not true. I americium not donating $45 cardinal a period to Trump,' he said during a video pinch Jordan Peterson released this past week.

Musk later followed up connected Twitter, calling nan $45 cardinal fig 'ridiculous' and explaining why he was backing Republicans.

'I americium making immoderate donations to America PAC, but astatine a overmuch little level and nan cardinal values of nan PAC are supporting a meritocracy and individual freedom,' he wrote.

'Republicans are mostly, but not entirely, connected nan broadside of merit and freedom.' 

Whether nan sources cited successful nan first study were wrong, aliases Musk simply changed his mind and claimed it was ne'er nan plan, is unknown.

But nan monolithic aid was cited by nan erstwhile president, who lavished praise connected Musk during a caller rally.

'I emotion Elon Musk,' Trump said successful Michigan. 'We person to make life bully for our smart people, and he's arsenic smart arsenic you get.' 

Musk besides discussed his reasons for donating heavy to Trump and Republicans successful his speech pinch Peterson connected Twitter, which Musk owns.

The arguable psychology professor, wearing a bizarre suit overgarment printed pinch dozens of icons of Jesus, asked Musk astir his move to nan Republicans.

'I don't prescribe to [a] cult of personality,' he said, insisting his ace PAC was 'not expected to beryllium a benignant of hyperpartisan' entity.

Musk said he believed he and nan Republican Party were much intimately aligned connected their 'core values' than he and nan Democrats.

'One of those values being meritocracy, arsenic overmuch meritocracy arsenic possible, truthful you get up arsenic a usability of your skill, and thing else,' he said. 

Musk has besides go much aligned pinch nan GOP connected societal issues aft revealing he claimed he was 'tricked' by nan 'woke mind virus' into allowing 1 of his sons to go a transgender woman. 

He said nan PAC supported state from 'as overmuch authorities involution arsenic possible' and claimed nan authorities was much restrictive each year.

Musk said Trump showed 'great courage' aft nan effort connected his life astatine a rally connected July 13, wherever a slug grazed his ear.

The businessman first stated his definitive endorsement of Trump for president successful nan hours aft nan assassination attempt, though it was agelong suspected. 

In March, Trump met pinch Musk and different able donors and caused specified a fuss that Musk made a declare connected societal media afterward.

'Just to beryllium ace clear, I americium not donating money to either campaigner for US President,' he said connected March 6. 

In May, he besides denied media reports that location had been talks complete a imaginable advisory domiciled for him successful immoderate Trump presidency.

On Sunday, Musk accused Harris of wanting to spot nan extinction of nan quality race.

The SpaceX and Tesla leader jumped to Republican vice statesmanlike campaigner J.D. Vance's defense arsenic nan legislator received a slew of disapproval for his 'childless feline lady' comments.

'Shamala is an extinctionist,' Musk wrote connected his societal media website X, formerly Twitter. 'The earthy hold of her accuracy would beryllium a de facto holocaust for each of humanity!'

It came successful consequence to Vance's tweet calling retired a clip of Harris claiming young group person worry astir having children because they are worried astir nan early of nan ambiance crisis.

Harris'  fame made a monolithic jump successful nan week since she stepped up and became Democrat's presumed 2024 nominee.

The vice president's favorability sits astatine 43 percent – an 8 constituent surge since past weekend, according to ABC News/Ipsos polling.

The canvass released a week agone revealed that 35 percent position Harris favorability and 46 percent spot her successful a unfavorable light.

Biden announced past Sunday, July 20, that he was ending his reelection bid aft weeks of unit from wrong his statement to measurement aside. He instantly endorsed his VP to return over.

In that aforesaid poll, voters were asked what they thought of nan candidates to subordinate Harris connected nan summons and while galore stay somewhat unknown, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona has nan highest favorables.

Kelly, a erstwhile astronaut and woman of ex-Congressman and gun control advocator Gabrielle Giffords, is viewed positively by 22 percent of respondents and negatively by conscionable 12 percent.

While a mostly either still don't cognize Kelly aliases person nary sentiment of nan separator authorities Democrat, he remains amended liked than immoderate of his imaginable VP rivals.