U.S.FOLLOW-UP

Musk's midterm money lands with a seat back at Trump's table

Elon Musk is again a major spender and technology voice in Washington, and the midterms are where the money gets counted; the donors are very excited.

On air: Hank Ledger on BBN Tonight
Published 6:48 PM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger on this story, from BBN Tonight at 6:48 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Hill's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

First reported by The Hill: “Musk jumps back into Trump's orbit ahead of midterms”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 6:48 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Hank Ledger.
Topics: Elon Musk, Trump.
BBN covered this story before: Musk's $366 million tops Trump giving, FEC filings show (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 HillMusk jumps back into Trump's orbit ahead of midterms

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe newest reporting says Elon Musk has stepped back into Donald Trump's orbit ahead of the midterms, with a seat at the table in Washington again.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSkip is outside a fundraiser tonight.
Skip Waverly · Field CorrespondentHank, I'm standing outside a hotel ballroom where donors are arriving, and the reports say Musk has gone from taking a break to being back in the room.
Skip Waverly · Field CorrespondentThat is a lot of money in one room, and a lot of damp for one reporter.
Skip Waverly · Field CorrespondentThe question is whether Musk's return signals a shift in the administration's direction on key issues like regulation and space policy.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThank you, Skip. Who's with you?
Skip Waverly · Field CorrespondentThis is Gus Halvorsen, a local man who gave twenty dollars to a candidate last spring. Gus, what do you make of the Musk money?
Gus HalvorsenHonestly, I want a seat at the table too. I gave twenty dollars and I got one email. Then forty more emails.
Gus HalvorsenNobody asked what I thought.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorForty emails.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThat's a loud complaint, Gus. I'd put it at a seven on the moan meter. Dale, grade it.

▶ Watch BBN liveMore U.S. →

More Shorts

All videos →

Photo: Aaron F. Stone · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · U.S.Costco eyes former Army base site for Oakland warehouseRead the story
Photo: Serenity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · U.S.Millions of Americans have already voted early in midtermsRead the story
▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.GG Banks Picks South Carolina Over LSU: Hot Takes Get DampAbout this segment
Photo: Rillke · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · U.S.Acetaminophen recall count now 112,000 bottles, sold on AmazonRead the story
▶ Short · U.S.Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly to reunite on NCIS: OriginsRead the story
▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.Georgia Takes No. 1 in AP Poll: Texas Fans Want Emotional RefundsAbout this segment
Photo: EdwinAlden.1995 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · U.S.Ebola count tops 9,000 as mistrust slows the responseRead the story
Photo: Serecki · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · U.S.Dancing With the Stars pros and their real-life partnersRead the story
▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.A'ja Wilson WNBA MVP: Predicting It Is Like a Toaster Making ToastAbout this segment
▶ As it aired · U.S.WSJ opinion revisits Navi Pillay and the Nobel Peace PrizeRead the story