Longtime Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) recently delivered an impassioned speech following President Donald Trump’s election victory, alleging that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk played a significant role in securing the win. Waters, 86, appeared in a grainy online video, asserting that the American people “don’t know everything” about Musk’s involvement in financing Trump’s campaign efforts.
Musk’s Alleged Financial Contributions to Trump’s Victory
According to financial records, Musk contributed over $250 million to third-party groups focused on increasing voter turnout among pro-Trump supporters in key swing states. The majority of these funds were funneled into America PAC, a super PAC that deployed thousands of canvassers to engage with low-turnout conservative voters. A pivotal Federal Election Commission ruling in March allowed America PAC to coordinate its voter outreach strategy with the Trump campaign, potentially providing critical voter data to enhance targeted advertising and engagement strategies.
Waters, visibly agitated in her speech, made broad accusations about Musk’s influence on the election, stating, “We don’t know everything that Elon Musk has done with his high-technology ass. We don’t know what he’s been accused of by some as it may relate to the election.” However, she failed to provide specific evidence to support her claims.
Social Media Backlash and Election Integrity Debate
The viral video of Waters’ remarks was shared by the popular conservative account Libs of TikTok on X (formerly Twitter), where they commented, “I was told that election deniers are the biggest threat to our democracy…” The post quickly gained traction, with many users calling out Waters for alleged hypocrisy, given her party’s past criticisms of election denialism.
Trump’s victory marked a historic shift, as he swept all seven swing states and became the first Republican in two decades to win the national popular vote. In a surprising twist, he even performed better than expected in traditionally Democratic strongholds like Minnesota and New Jersey, while gaining over a million votes in deep-blue Massachusetts. Notably, America PAC did not focus its efforts on these states, raising further questions about Waters’ allegations.
Waters’ Post-Election Struggles and Musk Opposition
Since the election, Waters has found herself in multiple public confrontations. Last month, she was denied entry to the Department of Education while attempting to question the cabinet secretary about the agency’s future. More recently, at a Democratic rally opposing Musk’s alleged access to sensitive Treasury Department files, Waters launched into a fiery tirade against the billionaire.
“We have got to tell Elon Musk that nobody elected your ass. Nobody told you you could get all of our private information. Nobody told you you could be in charge of the payments of this country,” she exclaimed, expressing concerns over Musk’s growing influence in government and finance.
Conclusion
As Waters continues to vocalize her grievances, her claims remain largely unsubstantiated, sparking further debate about election integrity and political influence. While her accusations against Musk may resonate with some Democratic supporters, they also open the door for criticism regarding the consistency of her party’s stance on election denialism. With Trump’s resounding victory now solidified, the conversation around billionaire influence in elections and political funding is unlikely to fade anytime soon.