Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, expressed his intention on the 25th (local time) to support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican considered a rival to former President Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election two years from now.
On the same day, Musk responded "Yes" to a question on Twitter, the social networking service he recently acquired and manages, asking if he would support Ron DeSantis in 2024.
He also wrote, "I hope the 2024 presidency goes to a more discerning and moderate figure," adding, "I had hoped the Biden administration would be like that, but so far, only disappointment."
Musk added, "To remind you again, I was a key supporter of the presidency from Obama to Biden," and "I voted for Biden instead of Trump in the 2020 election."
Since Musk holds significant influence among Republican supporters, his stance is expected to have an impact on the party's competitive landscape. In June, when asked by netizens about whom his vote would lean toward in the next presidential election, Musk answered "DeSantis."
In July, he said, "Trump will be 82 years old by the end of his term, too old to be the top leader in any capacity, let alone for America," and "If DeSantis runs against Biden in 2024, he will win easily."
Governor DeSantis is a staunch conservative who was once called "Little Trump" for actively defending former President Trump's policies. However, since emerging as a leading Republican presidential contender, he is seen as distancing himself from Trump. Especially after winning re-election in the recent midterm elections, he has risen as a strong rival to former President Trump.
Former President Trump has also moved to check DeSantis. Recently, he claimed, "(If DeSantis runs for president) he could get seriously hurt," calling him an "average governor." However, since the Republican Party did not achieve a landslide victory in the midterm elections on the 8th, Trump did not fully benefit from the effect of his re-election campaign announcement.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]
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