Elon Musk’s Influence on the 2024 Election Through X
The 2024 election cycle saw a significant interplay between social media and politics, with X (formerly Twitter) playing a central role. Elon Musk, the platform’s owner, leveraged his immense reach to demonstrably boost then-candidate Donald Trump, a candidate he also financially supported. This influence is clearly illustrated by the fact that the four most-liked posts on X in 2024 all came from Musk and all pertained to Trump. This unprecedented level of engagement underscores the power of social media platforms in shaping public discourse and potentially influencing electoral outcomes. The convergence of Musk’s ownership of a major social media platform, his open support for a particular candidate, and his substantial financial contributions to that campaign raises significant questions about the role of tech billionaires in the democratic process.
The most popular of Musk’s Trump-related posts featured an Associated Press photograph of a bloodied Trump raising his fist following a failed assassination attempt. This image, posted without any accompanying text, resonated strongly with users, garnering over 3.4 million likes. This stark visual became not only the most-liked X post of the year but also Musk’s second most-liked post of all time, trailing only a 2022 joke about purchasing Coca-Cola. Its position as the seventh most-liked post overall on the platform further solidifies its impact. This image’s virality speaks to the power of visual content in capturing attention and driving engagement on social media. It also showcases how emotionally charged imagery can be particularly effective in generating significant user interaction.
Musk’s second, third, and fourth most-liked posts further amplified his support for Trump. The second, with 2.6 million likes, featured an image of Musk and UFC President Dana White alongside Trump, captioned with a prediction of a bright future. The third, garnering 2.4 million likes, celebrated Trump’s victory with an image of Musk saluting an American flag and the declaration of a new dawn for the nation. Finally, a video of Trump raising his fist alongside Musk’s first public endorsement of the candidate secured 2.3 million likes, becoming the fourth most popular post of the year. These posts collectively demonstrate a sustained and strategic effort to promote Trump’s candidacy through various media formats, including images, video, and text.
While Musk’s X activity heavily focused on Trump, the President-elect’s own most-liked post of the year on the platform showcased a different side. A photo of Trump wearing an apron and waving from a McDonald’s drive-thru, posted without any caption, garnered 1.4 million likes. This seemingly innocuous image resonated with users, potentially tapping into a sense of relatability and diverging from the more politically charged content dominating the platform during the election cycle. This suggests that even amidst the highly politicized online environment, seemingly mundane content can still capture significant attention.
Beyond the individual posts, Musk’s overall support for Trump extended to significant financial contributions. After initially appearing to favor Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Musk emerged as one of Trump’s most prominent advocates and financial backers, donating over $200 million to pro-Trump PACs. He also actively campaigned for Trump in key swing states, even appearing with him at a rally in Pennsylvania. Following the election, Musk’s influence continued to grow, culminating in a joint leadership role with Trump in the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with reducing government spending. Musk’s ability to influence policy even before officially holding a government position highlights the extent of his power and access within the new administration. The nickname “President Musk” bestowed upon him by critics underscores this perceived influence.
While Musk dominated the engagement metrics related to Trump, other notable social media moments during the election year emerged. YouTuber Mr. Beast achieved the most retweeted post of the year and of all time with a giveaway promotion. President Joe Biden’s post declaring a new day in America following his 2021 inauguration remained the most-liked election-related tweet overall. These instances highlight the diverse nature of viral content on X and the ability of different personalities to generate significant engagement through various means. Despite the focus on Musk and Trump, the platform continued to be a space for a wide range of voices and content, echoing broader societal trends and conversations.
However, Musk’s amplified influence on X has not been without scrutiny. Reports suggest he manipulated the platform’s algorithm to boost the visibility of his own posts following President Biden’s Super Bowl tweet outperforming his own. This raises concerns about the potential for platform owners to manipulate algorithms for personal gain, potentially influencing public discourse and even electoral outcomes. The debate around algorithmic transparency and bias remains a critical area of discussion as social media platforms continue to play an increasingly significant role in shaping public opinion and political discourse.
