Billionaire Elon Musk has become the largest known donor in the 2026 US midterm elections, contributing more than $276 million to help Republicans maintain control of Congress.
According to The New York Times, Musk has distributed the money since July, despite previously promising to reduce his political spending.
His spokesperson, Andrew Romeo, confirmed the figures ahead of this week’s federal campaign finance filing deadline.
The donations include $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a major organisation supporting Republican Senate candidates.
Another $76 million went to Musk’s America PAC, which has organised voter outreach efforts similar to those used during Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Musk also donated $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas.
The spending marks a reversal from May, when Musk suggested he would step back from political donations.
“I think I’ve done enough,” he said at the time.
Musk has maintained a lower public profile during this election cycle despite reconciling with Trump following their earlier political fallout.
Democrats accused Republicans of relying on wealthy donors to overcome declining public support.
“Republicans are hoping to buy these elections, injecting tens of millions into races to try and outrun their unpopular candidates, unpopular president, and unpopular economy,” Democratic spokesperson Lauren French said, according to The Guardian.
