Of Musk, an Israeli-US Bizwoman, a Shipping Magnate, and their Big Donations to Trump

Much of the big money that flowed into outside groups to support former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and then Vice President Kamala Harris was disclosed on Tuesday in filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Both Harris' and Trump's joint fundraising committees shared their lists of donors, revealing celebrity and billionaire backers. Harris has been on an enormous fundraising binge and her high-dollar group raised more than four times the amount that Trump's did.

Here are some big-money highlights:

Musk's Trump budget: $75 m

Elon Musk has invested $75 million in the super PAC that he created this year. That total was actually a bit less than some people close to the group thought he might donate; they expected Musk to clear $100 million in giving from July to September.

Musk intentionally did not donate any money before July 1 so it would not be reported publicly until October. Musk gave $15 million in July, $30 million in August, and $30 million more in September. Musk also donated $1 million to Early Vote Action, a super PAC doing voter turnout work in Pennsylvania.

A smaller pro-Trump voter-canvassing group started by an ally of Senator JD Vance, Turnout for America, raised only $18.5 million. That was less than expected for a group that set out to raise $45 million to mobilise pro-Trump voters and has gotten key support from the former president.

Adelson meets her $100 m target

Israeli-American businesswoman Miriam Adelson has had a topsy-turvy relationship with Trump. But her fervent support for Trumpism becomes clear in the filings. Adelson put $25 million a month into her pro-Trump super PAC, Preserve America, in July, August and early September, and then $20 million more in late September.

This was on top of $5 million earlier in the year.

And, the shipping magnate

A Trump supporter who emerged as a bigger player than expected was Dick Uihlein, the CEO of shipping company Uline.

Uihlein put a staggering $49 million last quarter into a super PAC he steers, Restoration PAC, which in turn dispensed most of his money into a collection of pro-Trump and other Republican groups, including Turnout for America.