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By Alia Shoaib
Reporter
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Elon Musk, who was one of President Donald Trump's most ardent supporters in the lead-up to his election victory, did not donate any money toward his inauguration, a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing shows.
Trump raised a record-breaking $239 million for his January inaugural events, with major donations from companies like Meta, Amazon and Nvidia but none from Musk or any of his companies.
Newsweek reached out to Musk through the X press office via email on Monday.
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Why It Matters
Musk was one of Trump's most influential supporters on the campaign trail, spending more than $250 million supporting the Republican candidate and his allies.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has continued to be a close ally and advisor to the president and heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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What To Know
An FEC filing by the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee on Sunday revealed their substantial fundraising total, which was more than double the amount raised by Trump's first inaugural committee.
These donations, which came from a range of donors, funded events surrounding the January 20 inauguration. The filing lists the names of all donors and the amounts contributed.
It is not clear why Musk did not donate. Musk attended Trump's swearing-in ceremony and gave a now-notorious speech involving a controversial salute at a celebratory rally later that evening.
While Musk and his companies were absent from the inaugural committee donor list, several other major corporations, including Meta, Nvidia, and Amazon, each contributed at least $1 million.
These donations reflect how Silicon Valley's major players embraced Trump after he won the 2024 election.
What People Are Saying
Advocacy group Public Citizen, on X, formerly Twitter: "Elon Musk spent over $277 million to elect Trump. Jeff Bezos spent $1 million on Trump's inauguration and paid $40 million for a Melania Trump documentary. They're reaping the rewards of their investments. Trump's entire administration is a giant corporate handout."
What Happens Next
The inaugural committee is not required to disclose how it spent the funds or how much it has left, until it files a tax return with the Internal Revenue Service in 2026.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is planning to use the remaining funds to build a presidential library.
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