Elon Musk, the outspoken CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, performed a notable about-face in his political commentary, transitioning from a vocal critic to a supporter of President Donald Trump within a span of just 48 hours. This change occurred as Los Angeles was engulfed in violent protests following federal immigration raids on June 6, 2025, which led to the detention of numerous individuals.
Just a week before the unrest, Musk launched a vehement critique of Trump's fiscal policies, particularly targeting the president's controversial $1.6 trillion tax and spending plan, labeling it a "disgusting abomination" and cautioning against its potential to inflate the federal deficit. He further escalated his critique by sharing a past tweet from Trump that criticized raising the debt ceiling, accompanying it with the remark "Wise words," to emphasize his disapproval of the administration's current fiscal strategy.
However, as LA descended into chaos with clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators, Musk's rhetoric took a sharp turn. By June 8, he began endorsing Trump's messages on Truth Social, using American flag emojis to signal his support for the administration's handling of the law enforcement crisis. He shared Trump's critique of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of poor leadership during the riots. Musk also reposted Vice President JD Vance's statement that reinforced Trump's narrative of LA being "invaded and occupied" by illegal immigrants and criminals, and described the civil unrest as "lawless riots."
The rapid reversal in Musk's stance was in stark contrast to his earlier denunciations, in which he depicted the spending bill as a "deficit-fueling behemoth" and warned that Trump's trade tariffs could precipitate a recession. The Tesla CEO also responded to images of the unrest, succinctly stating "This is not O.K." on social media.
Observers have speculated on Musk's motivations for the sudden political pivot, suggesting that his business interests could be a factor. Musk's companies, particularly SpaceX, hold substantial federal contracts with agencies like NASA and the Department of Defense, totaling around $4 billion. These contracts represent a significant portion of the company's revenue. Additionally, Tesla benefits from federal tax credits and policies that promote electric vehicle use, which could be perceived as leverage for the Trump administration, who had previously threatened to terminate government contracts with Musk's businesses in response to his criticism.
The situation in Los Angeles has escalated to the point where the National Guard was deployed to quell the unrest, and authorities have employed flash bangs, pepper spray, and tear gas to disperse protesters. This has led to a direct confrontation between state and federal authorities, with Newsom and Bass at odds with the federal response.
