Billionaire tech executive Elon Musk cast the upcoming presidential election in dire terms during an appearance with Donald Trump, calling the Republican presidential nominee the only candidate 鈥渢o preserve democracy in America.鈥
The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla who also purchased X, Musk joined Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday at the site where the former president in July. Musk said 鈥渢his will be the last election鈥 if Trump doesn鈥檛 win. Wearing a cap with the 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥 slogan of Trump鈥檚 campaign, Musk appeared to acknowledge the foreboding nature of his remarks.
鈥淎s you can see I am not just MAGA 鈥 I am Dark MAGA,鈥 he said.
It was the first time that Musk joined one of Trump's rallies and was evidence of their growing alliance in the final stretch of the presidential election. Musk created a super political action committee supporting the Republican nominee and it has been spending heavily on get-out-the-vote efforts. Trump has said he would tap Musk to lead a if he regains the White House.
Trump joined Musk in August for on X, a friendly chat that spanned more than two hours. In it, the former president largely focused on the July assassination attempt, illegal immigration and his plans to cut government regulations.
Before a large crowd Saturday, Musk sought to portray Trump as a champion of free speech, arguing that Democrats want 鈥渢o take away your freedom of speech, they want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote, effectively." Musk went on to criticize a California effort to ban voter ID requirements.
The event took place at the same property where a gunman鈥檚 bullets grazed Trump鈥檚 right ear and killed a Trump supporter, . The shooting left multiple others injured.
Several members of Comperatore鈥檚 family, as well as other attendees and first responders from the July rally, returned to the site on Saturday. Also appearing with the former president were his running mate Republican Ohio Sen. , son , daughter-in-law and RNC co-chair , along with Pennsylvania lawmakers and sheriffs.
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Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina, and can be reached at
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The story has been corrected to reflect that Elon Musk said Democrats 鈥渨ant to take away your right to vote, effectively,鈥 not 鈥渇ight to vote, effectively.鈥
