Elon Musk said he “doesn’t do it well” and plans to cut political spending, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s move to step back from Washington.
Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday, Tesla CEO said he would “have far less political spending “in the future,” adding, “I think I’ve done enough.”
Musk has given aside questions about whether his move is a response to the pushback he received due to his prominent role in the reshaping of the federal government, characterized by his leadership in the government’s slavery efficiency.
“If I see reasons for political spending in the future, I will do that. I don’t see a reason at the moment,” he said.
Having poured more than $290 million into the 2024 election to support Trump and Republicans, Musk was establishing himself as a major political force both domestically and internationally.
At home, he tried to influence state elections, including last month’s major Wisconsin Supreme Court competition. His political operations were spent heavily on contests and turned into a referendum on the popularity of the mask when he became the face of the Republican campaign.
However, his efforts failed as Democrat-backed candidates easily secured victory and marked a turning point for Musk’s political engagement.
The billionaires also fired fire at the end of last year for repeated attempts to influence various European elections, including putting weight behind the German party’s far-right alternatives.
The Wisconsin blow comes amid growing backlash against mask slash-and-burn’s approach to reducing the federal government under doges that have drawn rage from the entire political spectrum.
The complaints about the mask sparked a bubble among Americans, with advisors receiving 58% approval and 58% disapproval of his work with Doge in the poll announced last month.
While rebel protesters have angered at cutting governments in Tesla cars and showrooms across the country, Republican lawmakers face a wave of resentment from conventions at their hometown town hall, urging House GOP campaign arm chairs to call for the then-opening halt.
As the brewing rebel storm grew, Democrats seized to rally bases based on the billionaire government impact project. This is a strategy that proved successful in Wisconsin.
The formerly resident advisor to the president has since played a less public role in the Republican Party. He is less noticeable in oval office appearances with Trump and cabinet meetings, which were a feature of the presidency.
The president and his top advisors have also been silent on Musk on social media platforms in recent weeks, shifting markedly from the once-millionaire admiration stream.
His doge effort is also in his doge as the mask disappeared into the background. The offensive federal presidential project controlled the airwaves early in Trump’s presidency, but recently took the backseat to other controversial issues under the administration, such as Trump’s deportation policy and tariff schemes.
Musk is also taking a prominent public break with the president. The Tesla CEO, who lost billions after Trump announced his sweeping tariff plans last month, shook against the leading supporters of Peter Navarro, the White House trade adviser and a leading supporter of the president’s tariff policy, blasting him as a “stupid” in an unusual public show of dissent.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was at the time disregarding the argument, saying, “The boys will be boys. We’ll continue their public sparring.”
Musk’s decision to ease his political involvement appears poised to lose his portrayal of Washington’s leading villain, allowing him to throw a wrench at the Democrats’ plan to continue using the billionaire as a political target. But if he actually slows down his spending, it could make a big hole in the funds of Republican campaigns.
Tuesday’s comments are not the first time Musk has made a drastic declaration of his intention to not engage in politics.
He said in March 2024 that he would not “donate money to either candidate” in the presidential election. By December 2024, Musk had supported Trump, thrown hundreds of millions of people in the election and set the rise of the meteor as the president’s right hand man.
And Washington has yet to see the end of the mask. He said in his speech Tuesday that he is scheduled to have dinner with Trump on Wednesday, indicating that he has not lost his entire ear.
