Where do you stand politically?

Q328 answers2017-2026view changed
Short answer

He said it was important to elect President Trump to steer toward a free-market economy and less bureaucracy. His simple platform is safe cities, secure borders, and aspirationally sensible spending, and he thought Trump would be better than Kamala Harris on those.

From his 2026-10 answer in Elon Musk: "Humans Won't Be in Control" When AI Becomes Smarter Than Us. Summary is ours; see the quotes below.
How his answer changed: 2023: no endorsement, wouldn't vote Biden. Feb 2025: went 'hardcore' for Trump to avoid a one-party state. Late 2025: politics 'ends up badly', do less. Feb 2026: Twitter and electing Trump were good for civilization. Jul 2026: 'a little too involved... got carried away', but administration 'on balance excellent'.

All 28 answers, oldest to newest

2017 · 1 answer
🎙 Interview · 2017-07 · National Governors Association · asked by governors / Ina Fried (Axios) · watch at 57:37 · transcript ·
He thought it was worth trying to argue for sustainability on the councils. After the Paris Accord withdrawal he could not stay on: the country needs to keep its word, and the agreement was not even binding.
"I think the country needs to keep his word"
2020 · 3 answers
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 39:53 · transcript ·
He condemned orders that stopped people leaving their homes as fascist and undemocratic.
"This is fascist. This is not democratic. This is not freedom. Give people back the goddamn freedom."
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 36:16 · transcript ·
He calls the extended shelter-in-place orders forcibly imprisoning people against their constitutional rights.
"frankly I would call it forcibly imprisoning people in their homes against all their constitutional rights."
🎙 Interview · 2020-04-29 · Tesla Q1 2020 earnings call (2020) · asked by Tesla Investor Relations · watch at 39:44 · transcript ·
He says people who want to stay home should be allowed to, but should not be compelled to.
"If somebody wants to stay in their house, that's great. They should be allowed to stay in the house and they should not be compelled to leave."
2022 · 1 answer
🎙 Interview · 2022-06 · Twitter All-Hands · asked by Twitter All-Hands moderator · watch at 31:01 · transcript ·
He said his views are moderate, near the center of the country's political distribution. He voted Democrat until recently. If the far left 10% and far right 10% were equally upset on Twitter, that would probably be a good outcome.
"my my political views i think are moderate"
2023 · 3 answers
𝕏 post · 2023-02-23 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @farzyness · open post ·
He said crazy theory – maybe I’m just centrist? Also, when did free speech become right-wing? That was the weirdest switcheroo ever.
"Crazy theory – maybe I’m just centrist? Also, when did free speech become right-wing? That was the weirdest switcheroo ever."
🎙 Interview · 2023-04 · Real Time with Bill Maher · asked by Bill Maher · watch at 6:23 · transcript ·
He thinks of himself as moderate and noted he spent a massive amount of life energy on sustainable energy, electric vehicles, batteries and solar.
"I at least think of myself as moderate"
🎙 Interview · 2023-11 · Elon Musk on Advertisers, Trust and the "Wild Storm" in His Mind | DealBook Summit 2023 · asked by Andrew Ross Sorkin · watch at 1:07:15 · transcript ·
He felt snubbed by the Biden administration, hasn't endorsed anyone, and wouldn't vote for Biden; Democrats appear more pro-censorship now.
"I haven't endorsed anyone for president"
2024 · 5 answers
🎙 Interview · 2024-03 · Elon Musk on Racism, Bailing Out Trump, Hate Speech, and More - The Don Lemon Show (Full Interview) · asked by Don Lemon · watch at 8:17 · transcript ·
He would not agree; he puts that article in the nonsense category.
"I'd put it in the nonsense category"
🎙 Interview · 2024-08 · Donald J. Trump and Elon Musk - Full Interview on X · asked by Donald Trump (conversation on X) · watch at 3:05 · transcript ·
He said Trump's fight-fight-fight response under fire was inspiring and a big part of why he was excited to endorse him for another term.
"a big you know part of the reason why I was uh excited to endorse you as uh the president of United States for having another term"
𝕏 post · 2024-08-03 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @farzyness · open post ·
Asked Is Elon Musk Destroying His Brand, he said that guy doesn’t get it. I would prefer to have zero involvement in politics. HOWEVER There is no “company success” unless civilization itself continues to progress. This insane shift by the “left” away from a meritoc...
"That guy doesn’t get it. I would prefer to have zero involvement in politics. HOWEVER There is no “company success” unless civilization itself continues to progress. This insane shift by the “left” away from a meritocracy and personal liberties (eg censorship of free speech under the guise of “hate speech”) will be the end of civilization as we know it."
🎙 Interview · 2024-10 · Elon Musk x Tucker Carlson Full Interview - "This Could Be The Last Election" · asked by Tucker Carlson · watch at 9:22 · transcript ·
He said if Trump does not win, it is the last election. Closing, he called voting for Trump a no-brainer versus becoming a one-party state like California.
"if Trump doesn't win this election it's the last election we're going to have"
🎙 Interview · 2024-10 · Trump Rally in Butler · asked by Crowd · watch at 1:37 · transcript ·
He called it the most important election of our lifetime.
"And I think this election, I think it's the most important election of our lifetime."
2025 · 11 answers
🎙 Interview · 2025-01 · Inauguration Day speech at Capital One Arena · asked by Crowd · watch at 2:49 · transcript ·
He said one of the most American values he loves is optimism.
"One of the most American values that I love is optimism"
🎙 Interview · 2025-02 · Joe Rogan Experience #2281 - Elon Musk · asked by Joe Rogan · watch at 1:08:13 · transcript ·
He went 'hardcore' for Trump because he saw a fork in the road: otherwise swing states become permanently blue.
"The reason I went so hardcore for for for for Trump"
🎙 Interview · 2025-02 · President Trump Hosts First Cabinet Meeting, Feb. 26, 2025 · asked by reporters / President Trump (cabinet meeting) · watch at 15:42 · transcript ·
The president encouraged him via Truth Social and a phone call to be more aggressive; he does what the president asks. Goal is not to be capricious: keep essential people doing the job well.
"The president is commander-in-chief. I do what the president asks"
🎙 Interview · 2025-02 · FULL INTERVIEW: Elon Musk CPAC 2025 Day One - 2/20/25 · asked by CPAC host · watch at 5:46 · transcript ·
He was politically neutral for quite a while, leaning a little Democrat, then cancel culture and the attempt to stop free speech left no choice but to get involved.
"politically neutral for for quite a while"
🎙 Interview · 2025-03 · America PAC Town Hall — Green Bay, Wisconsin (2025) · asked by Audience (town hall) · watch at 1:03:54 · transcript ·
He said judges should simply interpret the law, not make it.
"judges should be simply interpreting the law, not making the law"
🎙 Interview · 2025-05 · Elon Musk joins President Trump in the Oval Office on his final day as special government employee · asked by reporter · watch at 23:00 · transcript ·
He expects to continue providing advice whenever the president wants it, and to remain a friend and advisor in the president's service.
"I expect to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like advice"
🎙 Interview · 2025-05 · FULL: Elon Musk Live from the Qatar Economic Forum | Elon, Inc. · asked by Michelle Hussein (Bloomberg) · watch at 35:19 · transcript ·
He said he will do a lot less political spending; he thinks he has done enough, and does not currently see a reason to spend more.
"in terms of political spending um I'm going to do a lot less in the future"
🎙 Interview · 2025-10 · Joe Rogan Experience #2404 - Elon Musk · asked by Joe Rogan · watch at 1:39:08 · transcript ·
He says if Trump had lost there would never have been another real election, because Trump is actually enforcing the border. He still describes himself as centrist and says Trump is not evil.
"there would never have been another real election again"
🎙 Interview · 2025-11 · Elon Musk: A Different Conversation w/ Nikhil Kamath | People by WTF Ep. 16 · asked by Nikhil Kamath · watch at 1:42:27 · transcript ·
Getting involved in politics ends badly; best to avoid it where possible.
"I've generally found that when I get involved in politics, it ends up badly"
🎙 Interview · 2025-12 · Elon Musk on DOGE, AI, & Are we in a Simulation? | KMP Ep.18 · asked by Katie Miller · watch at 4:31 · transcript ·
No. Instead of DOGE he would have kept building his companies; stopping money for political corruption produced a fierce backlash.
"instead of doing Doge I I would have basically built you know worked on my companies"
𝕏 post · 2025-12-07 · @elonmusk on X · open post ·
He said the EU is not democracy (rule of the people) but bureaucracy (rule of the unelected bureaucrat).
"The European Union is not DEMOcracy – rule of the people – but rather BUREAUcracy – rule of the unelected bureaucrat!"
2026 · 4 answers
🎙 Interview · 2026-02 · Elon Musk – "In 36 months, the cheapest place to put AI will be space" · asked by Dwarkesh Patel (with co-hosts) · watch at 2:31:41 · transcript ·
Politics is tribal; but acquiring Twitter and getting Trump elected were good for civilization.
"getting Trump elected, even though it makes a lot of people angry"
🎙 Interview · 2026-07 · The full-length interview with Elon Musk | The Economist · asked by The Economist interviewer (not named in metadata) · watch at 54:31 · transcript ·
He got a little too involved and carried away, though he calls the administration excellent on balance and his views centrist.
"I think I got a little too involved in politics, got carried away, frankly"
🎙 Interview · 2026-10 · Elon Musk: "Humans Won't Be in Control" When AI Becomes Smarter Than Us · asked by Walter Isaacson · watch at 11:38 · transcript ·
He said it was important to elect President Trump to steer toward a free-market economy and less bureaucracy. His simple platform is safe cities, secure borders, and aspirationally sensible spending, and he thought Trump would be better than Kamala Harris on those.
"I think it's always it was important to elect uh President Trump to sort of, you know, steer things more in the direction of a free market economy."
𝕏 post · 2026-10-13 · @elonmusk on X · asked by @trussliz · open post ·
He agreed with Liz Truss that politics is no longer left vs right but a battle between civilisation and destruction.
"Yes"

Last updated: 2026-10-13 (newest answer).

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