Fact Check: Elon Musk spent nearly $290 billion to support Trump’s return to the White House.

Fact Check: "Elon Musk spent nearly $290 billion to support Trump’s return to the White House."

What We Know

The claim that Elon Musk spent nearly $290 billion to support Donald Trump’s return to the White House is inaccurate. Reports indicate that Musk has indeed spent substantial amounts on political contributions, but the figure is approximately $290 million, not billion. For instance, a report from CNN states that Musk spent over $290 million during the 2024 election cycle to support Trump and other Republican candidates. This figure is corroborated by other sources, including Gizmodo and Forbes, which also mention Musk's political spending in the hundreds of millions, but consistently refer to millions, not billions.

Analysis

The discrepancy between "billion" and "million" is significant, as it alters the scale of Musk's financial involvement in politics dramatically. The sources that mention Musk's spending do so in the context of his influence and political activities, particularly in relation to Trump's policies and the formation of a new political party, the "America Party" (Yahoo, Rolling Stone).

The claim appears to stem from a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the figures involved. While Musk's financial contributions are indeed large, they do not reach the astronomical figure of $290 billion. The reliability of the sources reporting on Musk's spending is generally high, as they are established news organizations with a track record of covering political finance accurately. However, the claim itself seems to have been exaggerated, possibly due to a typographical error or a miscommunication in the reporting.

Conclusion

Verdict: False
The claim that Elon Musk spent nearly $290 billion to support Trump’s return to the White House is false. The accurate figure is approximately $290 million, which is a significant difference. This misrepresentation could lead to misunderstandings about Musk's political influence and financial contributions.

Fact Check: Elon Musk spent nearly $290 billion to support Trump’s return to the White House.