Mark Cuban and Elon Musk.
Getty Images
Billionaire investor Mark Cuban warned Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk on Sunday against aligning himself with former President Donald Trump as he said the Republican presidential candidate may ultimately be unable to repay his political debt.
“Elon, there will come a time when you need Donald Trump's help,” Cuban wrote in a statement. X posts to his fellow billionaires. “You would have thought you had earned the right to ask and to receive. You have been his loyal soldier.”
“When you need him most,” Cuban continued. “You will find that a lot of what you learned before, his loyalty is only limited to himself.
Cuban's message came in response to Musk's earlier X post, in which the SpaceX CEO amplified various conspiracy theories, saying Democrats were encouraging immigration into battleground states as “a must to win every election.” Through the road.”
“If Trump is not elected, this will be the last election,” Musk Wrote.
Musk's support for Trump is a stark departure from 2022, when he publicly insulted the former president on social media.
Cuban's warning to Musk, from one billionaire to another, hints at wealthy political backers covertly courting government support as they woo presidential candidates.
The two billionaires are on opposite sides of the presidential race this election cycle. But both business leaders have their sights set on some level of regulatory control.
Cuban believes Trump may not honor the exchange with Musk.
Cuban has become an outspoken surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris and her economic agenda. In recent weeks, he has frequently endorsed Harris as “better for business,” despite skepticism about her plan to raise the corporate tax rate.
As Cuban increases public support, he's also keeping an eye on potential new jobs at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“I told her team, put my name on the SEC, it needs to change,” Cuban told CNBC. “Gaga Box” earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Musk is looking for a new job of his own. Musk has repeatedly proposed that if Trump wins a second term in the White House, he will establish a so-called Government Efficiency Council to crack down on federal spending. He has raised his hand to lead such an institution.
Earlier this month, Trump endorsed the idea of a Council on Government Efficiency and suggested Musk could be a “good person” to lead it.
But the Republican candidate sidestepped, saying that Musk, a busy CEO of multiple companies, might not have time for the job but that he could “consult.”