Elon Musk, once Trump's 'first buddy', is done with political donations after THIS major setback

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, once a prominent figure in the Donald Trump's circle, has said he expects to dial back his political donations. This is seen as a major shift from the figure who shook up the 2024 election as a top donor to President Donald Trump.

Musk had spent more than $250 million in support of Trump's campaign. The Tesla CEO told an economic conference in Qatar that he planned to do "a lot less" spending in the future. He said he would “do a lot less” political spending “in the future,” adding: “I think I’ve done enough.”

Musk's move comes at a time when he is taking a step back from President Donald Trump’s Washington. “If I see a reason to do political spending in the future, I will do it. I don’t currently see a reason,” he said. He also said he was committed to leading electric car company Tesla for another five years.


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Why Musk has decided to cut political donations?

At home, Elon Musk has attempted to sway state elections, notably pouring resources into a pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race last month. His political network invested heavily in the contest, which effectively became a referendum on Musk’s influence as he emerged as the public face of the Republican effort. However, the strategy fell short, with the Democratic-backed candidate winning decisively—signaling a significant setback in Musk’s foray into political campaigning.

"The people have won," said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler. "The biggest funder in Republican politics is taking his toys and going home." Brandon Scholz, a retired longtime Republican strategist in the state, said that at least in Wisconsin, "after that court race he deserves to be labeled as toxic."

But that doesn't mean Musk couldn't spend money on races in the state and nationally again, especially if the stakes are high and his money could make a difference, Scholz said.

"Does he bring with him a lot of baggage? Possibly," Scholz said. "But over time, maybe not as much."

Elon Musk’s involvement in this year’s Wisconsin Supreme Court race helped make it the most expensive judicial contest in US history. The effort came just five months after he reportedly spent at least $250 million to back Donald Trump’s comeback in the 2024 presidential elections, aiming to reverse losses in key battleground states like Wisconsin.

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Musk threw his full weight behind the state court race, even appearing in Green Bay the weekend before the election wearing a cheesehead—an iconic symbol among Green Bay Packers fans—and handing out $1 million checks to supporters. It was a continuation of his high-profile presence in the presidential campaign, where he frequently appeared alongside Trump and hosted his own rallies. “I’m not phoning it in. I’m here in person,” he told a crowd of roughly 2,000, while hundreds protested outside.

Musk's aggressive DOGE push

The setback in Wisconsin came amid growing backlash against Musk’s aggressive efforts to shrink the federal government through the DOGE initiative — a strategy that has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.

Public dissatisfaction with Musk has reached new heights. A poll released last month showed just 41 percent approval of his role in DOGE, with 58 percent disapproving of his performance.

Protests against Musk’s budget cuts spilled into the streets, with demonstrators targeting Tesla vehicles and showrooms nationwide. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers returning to their districts were met with hostile crowds at town halls, leading the chair of the House GOP’s campaign committee to suspend the events altogether.

As discontent intensified, Democrats capitalized on the growing opposition to Musk’s expanding government role, using it to energize their supporters — a tactic that paid off in Wisconsin.

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Musk's popularity takes a hit

But despite the splashy spending and personal appearances, Musk’s candidate lost Brown County by 3 percentage points and was defeated statewide by a much wider margin. Since then, Musk has said little about the race, and his public image has taken a hit. A poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center found his favorability dropped to 33% in the weeks after the election, down from 41% in December, reported news agency AP.

Musk’s political efforts coincided with his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration’s initiative to shrink the federal government. While DOGE enacted sweeping workforce and budget cuts, it has fallen short of its cost-reduction goals.

Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan remains skeptical Musk will truly scale back his political involvement. “This just means they realize how toxic Elon Musk is and the work he did through DOGE,” Pocan said. State Sen. Kelda Roys echoed the concern, saying, “There’s a ton of other billionaire bros, I’m sure, willing and happy to step up in his place.”

According to Republican strategist Scholz, Musk's massive presence in the race may have been counterproductive. “He became the campaign. He became the story,” he said.

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Musk personally contributed over $3 million to the race. Musk-aligned groups—America PAC and Rebuilding America's Future—spent another $19 million to support conservative candidate Brad Schimel. In total, more than $100 million was spent on both sides. America PAC also spent at least $6 million on door-to-door canvassing across the state, replicating a strategy used in other battlegrounds Trump carried.

Beyond traditional spending, Musk paid three voters $1 million each for signing a turnout-boosting petition. He offered $20 to supporters who signed up to knock on doors for Schimel and posted proof, and $100 each to people who signed a petition against "activist judges" and referred others to do the same.

Musk hosted Schimel on his podcast, declaring, “A seemingly small election could determine the fate of Western civilization.” Democrats, however, framed the contest as a referendum on both Trump and Musk—and won. The result ensures liberal control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court through at least 2028.

Coincidentally, Musk’s pledge to reduce political spending came just hours after liberal Judge Chris Taylor announced her candidacy for the 2026 Supreme Court race, challenging a conservative justice who supported Trump’s failed 2020 election lawsuit. Taylor, like her successful Democratic predecessor, is focusing on grassroots campaigning. “My campaign is going to be about the people of this state,” she said, “not about billionaires, not about the most powerful.”

(With inputs from AP)