TechPOLITICAL MONEY

Musk's $366 million tops Trump giving, FEC filings show

Most of the money has gone to rightwing candidates and causes, and more than $276 million of it came since July; a very long shopping spree.

On air: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on BBN Newsroom
Published 3:46 PM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on this story, from BBN Newsroom at 3:46 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Guardian's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Donald Trump — Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by The Guardian: “Elon Musk becomes biggest donor of US midterms cycle with $366m spent”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 3:46 PM ET on BBN Newsroom, by Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman.
Topics: Elon Musk, Trump, US.
BBN covered this story before: Majority in US say Trump prioritises personal wealth over all else… (October 13).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The GuardianElon Musk becomes biggest donor of US midterms cycle with $366m spent

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorElon Musk's political spending now tops what he gave Donald Trump in twenty twenty-four, about three hundred sixty-six million dollars this cycle, mostly for conservative candidates and causes.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMore than two hundred seventy-six million of it has gone out since July alone, according to The Guardian.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThat's a man who believes in civic participation, and I think we should celebrate that.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorTwo hundred seventy-six million in three months, Vera. That's not a donation, that's a subscription.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorA subscription to democracy!
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWith auto-renew, and no one has found the cancel button.

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