On Tuesday, End Citizens United lodged a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), challenging former President Trump’s recent interview with tech mogul Elon Musk.
The discussion took place on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, and lasted approximately two hours following a delay due to technical issues. End Citizens United contends that this interview constitutes an illegal corporate contribution under campaign finance laws.
“The interview between Donald Trump and Elon Musk on X was not merely a disjointed discussion plagued by technical issues but rather an overtly illegal corporate donation to Trump’s campaign,” asserted Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United.
The interview between Trump and Musk on X is criticized by End Citizens United as a breach of campaign finance regulations, demanding FEC action
“This flagrant violation of campaign finance regulations risks setting a troubling precedent for unrestricted corporate involvement in political campaigns. The FEC must thoroughly investigate this corporate-funded event and ensure accountability for Trump, his campaign, and X Corp.,” she added.
The complaint highlights that federal law forbids corporations from contributing to federal candidates, who are prohibited from accepting such donations. It argues that the exchange between Trump and Musk effectively served as a virtual campaign rally financed by X.
Their conversation covered various topics, including an alleged assassination attempt on Trump, immigration, and economic issues. Musk, who has endorsed Trump for the 2024 election, played a major role in the event.
The complaint further challenges the notion of a media exemption, asserting that the substantial resources X allocated—such as real-time technical support and Musk’s direct involvement—provide important value to Trump’s campaign, and are not covered by this exemption.
