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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Arwa Mahdawi

Elon Musk is trying to buy the US election for Donald Trump. What does he want in return?

Elon Musk embraces Donald Trump on stage in Butler, Pennsylvania
Quid pro quo? Elon Musk embraces Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photograph: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Welcome to The Maga Millions: a thrilling new contest in which you can win a million bucks if you help a billionaire buy an election. As 5 November draws closer, Elon Musk has decided to try out some interesting – and possibly illegal – tactics to get his pal Donald Trump back into the White House.

First up: cash payments. On Saturday, Musk announced that “America Pac”, his pro-Trump political action committee, will give away $1m every day until the election to a randomly selected signatory to his petition supporting free speech and gun rights. He had previously offered to pay registered voters in swing states – and only registered voters in swing states – $47 (£36) to sign the petition, upping the offer on Friday for registered voters in Pennsylvania to $100.

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