Elon Musk is incentivizing registered voters in the US by offering $47 for each referral who signs a petition promoting free speech and the right to bear arms. Musk announced the initiative on X, stating, “For every person you refer who is a swing state voter, you get $47! Easy money.”
The petition, launched on Musk’s America PAC website formed to support Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign—aims to gather 1 million signatures from voters in swing states. It advocates for the First and Second Amendments of the US Constitution, which safeguard freedom of speech and the right to bear arms, respectively.
On Saturday, Musk appeared at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, emphasizing the significance of the election and warning that it could be “the last election” if Trump loses. He also reiterated claims that Democrats intend to infringe on Americans’ rights, including free speech and gun ownership.
The Butler rally site is notable as the location of a previous assassination attempt on Trump, where a bullet narrowly missed him, resulting in the death of a supporter in the crowd.
The petition specifically targets voters in key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, and is open only to registered voters in those areas. The petition reads, “The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for these rights.”
Gun rights remain a contentious issue in the US, with proponents advocating for easy access to firearms while opponents argue that guns pose a threat to public safety. In a related context, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris acknowledged her own gun ownership in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, asserting that she would shoot any intruder attempting to enter her home.