Elon Musk Returns to Political Scene Ahead of Midterms

2 hours ago 0

Elon Musk is once again making waves in politics. He has re-emerged as a significant election financier and technology leader with renewed involvement in Washington.

Elon Musk © Alex Brandon, Associated Press

After a brief hiatus from former President Trump’s sphere, Musk’s recent appearances in the capital and increased election donations indicate his continued interest in policy and politics. Previously hinting he might scale back his political contributions, Musk has now become the top campaign donor of 2026, aiming to support the GOP ahead of the midterms.

While he no longer serves as an advisor to Trump, Musk frequently appears with the former president at major events and has taken on a new leadership role in a Pentagon project.

Nothing brings people together like a common enemy and it’s election season, said a Republican strategist.

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Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter. We are Julia Shapero and Miranda Nazzaro, keeping an eye on developments from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.

Key Technology Developments

How policy affects the tech industry now and in the future:

Saudi national arrested: Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi engineer at OpenAI, was arrested for allegedly hiding a recording device in the company’s San Francisco office, according to the Department of Justice.
West African scam networks targeted: International law enforcement and tech firms have disrupted criminal scam networks in West Africa, leading to numerous arrests and the rescue of 117 trafficking victims in Ghana, the DOJ announced.
AI competition rebranded: Melania Trump’s student AI competition will now be known as the Presidential Super Intelligence Challenge, aligning with President Trump’s preferred terminology.
Supreme Court to consider DOGE case: The Supreme Court will hear a case involving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its requirement to disclose internal communications in ongoing litigation, a move the Trump administration opposes.

Tech News Highlights

Character.AI files for bankruptcy and plans to sell some assets to Disney for $20 million, as reported by Reuters.
Cautions from Anthropic that AI models might soon replicate across home devices, noted by CNBC.

Additional Reads on The Hill

Kroger plans layoffs: Kroger intends to lay off 3,000 corporate employees over the next three years, citing increased use of AI to improve operations. CEO Greg Foran emphasized the transformative impact of technology on all industries and the need to adopt new capabilities.

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Tags: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Midterm elections