Source: Politics<\/p>\n
An ally of President Donald Trump and former Department of Government Efficiency adviser James Fishback on Tuesday is launching a super PAC called FSD PAC designed to blunt Elon Musk\u2019s political ambitions.<\/p>\n
FSD PAC, a play on Tesla\u2019s \u201cfull self-driving,\u201d stands for Full Support for Donald.<\/p>\n
Its strategy is to be a bulwark against Musk\u2019s threats \u2014 real or perceived, and comes as multiple Republicans shrug off the latest social media spat as little to worry about in a world where Trump so thoroughly commands the loyalty of the GOP base.<\/p>\n
The PAC will spend money in any race where Musk follows through on his plan to bankroll a third-party hopeful, or where he backs a Democrat or a Republican primary challenge against a Trump-endorsed incumbent. The goal: ensure that Musk\u2019s deep pockets don\u2019t undermine Trump\u2019s grip on the GOP.\u201cThere’s real frustration in our movement with Elon and his antics,\u201d said Fishback, who stepped away from DOGE last month after Musk lashed out at Trump. \u201cI’m a big believer in what he’s doing in the private sector. But when it comes to politics, he’s dead wrong on this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fishback, who is represented by Lex Politica, the same firm that represents Musk and his SuperPAC AmericaPAC, is putting $1 million of his own money into his PAC.<\/p>\n
FSD PAC\u2019s formation comes amid an intensifying standoff between the world\u2019s wealthiest man and the Republican party. Musk, the GOP\u2019s largest individual donor, has publicly threatened to start his own party, the \u201cAmerica Party,\u201d if Congress passes Trump\u2019s sweeping domestic policy package, known as the Big Beautiful Bill.<\/p>\n
The Senate passed that bill on Tuesday and it could land on the president\u2019s desk this week.Trump on Tuesday, said he wasn\u2019t concerned Republicans would be swayed by Musk or his money. \u201cI don’t think he should be playing that game with me,\u201d the president said.A Trump ally added that he was not too concerned about Musk\u2019s threats, noting his lackluster track record of political endorsements.<\/p>\n
\u201cA guy named Elon Musk tried to play Kingmaker in the 2024 Republican primary by backing Ron DeSanctimonious,\u201d said the person who was granted anonymity to speak freely. Musk also spent millions to sway a Wisconsin Supreme Court race, including \u00a0handing out million-dollar checks to two Wisconsin voters, <\/a>but the Democrat won handily anyway.\u201cFor it to have any impact, you\u2019d have to have Republicans leaving the Republican Party of President Trump and joining a new party just so they can take a check from Elon,\u201d said a Republican strategist granted anonymity to discuss internal thinking. \u201cI just don\u2019t see that happening.\u201d<\/p>\n And FSD is just one of several pro-Trump organizations ready to attack Republicans deemed disloyal. Just last week, another pro-Trump group, MAGA Kentucky, aired a TV ad<\/a> against Rep. Thomas Massie, one of only two House Republicans who voted against the president\u2019s marquee legislation. The 30-second spot targets Massie for voting against legislation that cuts taxes and funds border security, and puts him alongside Iran\u2019s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)<\/p>\n Musk has been criticizing the legislation for weeks but his attacks have ramped up over the past few days as the legislation gets closer to the finish line. The owner of Tesla and X said that conservative<\/a> lawmakers who support the bill \u201cwill lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth\u201d and said he \u201cwill\u201d<\/a> support Massie.<\/p>\n