Elon Musk, the billionaire tech mogul behind SpaceX, Tesla, and X, announced his decision to relocate SpaceX’s main office and X’s headquarters out of California. This move comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation prohibiting school districts from mandating that parents be informed if their child decides to transition their gender identity.
“This is the final straw. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas,” Musk wrote on X Tuesday. “I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children.”
He later said that X, which he purchased in 2022, will move its headquarters from San Francisco to Austin, Texas. “Have had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building,” Musk wrote. Musk’s announcement comes a day following the signing of a law by Newsom that stops school employees from revealing a student’s identity to their parent or anyone else without the student’s consent. Advocates of the law argue that it serves as an essential safeguard for LGBTQ students, given the growing hostility in political discourse about gender identity within educational settings. Critics say it directly undermines parental authority.
Meanwhile, Musk this week vowed to inject major momentum into the presidential race by providing substantial support to former President Donald Trump’s electoral prospects, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
On Monday, the outspoken entrepreneur announced a staggering donation of $45 million per month to a super PAC supporting the Trump campaign’s voter outreach. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk’s significant contribution pledge follows his public endorsement of Trump after the former president survived an assassination attempt. Other notable contributors to America PAC include Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale, the Winklevoss twins, former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft, and her husband Joe Craft, CEO of coal producer Alliance Resource Partners, the outlet added.
Since its launch in June, America PAC has been fervently registering voters in key battleground states where President Trump’s lead has grown significantly following Saturday’s shooting. The PAC is actively encouraging Trump supporters to vote early by absentee ballot or mail-in voting, aligning with a key initiative by the Republican National Committee to achieve the same objective nationwide. A source with the PAC told the Journal that their strategy aims to counter Democrats’ historical “get out the vote” advantage in ground operations.
Even by the standards of of American politics and money these days, Musk’s donation marks a staggering increase in the involvement of the ultra-wealthy in influencing elections. With a net worth of around $250 billion, the South African native is by far the world’s richest man, and his promised contributions, if realized, may represent the largest set of donations by an American citizen in the history of U.S. politics.
According to The Journal, America PAC has expanded its staff by hiring hundreds of people in swing states like Pennsylvania. Recent polls indicate that the former president is leading President Joe Biden by 3%. In addition, conflicting polls show that Virginia, a state won by Biden by 10% four years ago, is now being hotly contested.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.