In a recent survey, American citizens have demonstrated comparable favorability ratings for President-elect Donald Trump and tech tycoon Elon Musk, who has emerged as a significant ally for the incoming president.
The poll, conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Research Center, revealed that 41 percent of respondents held a "very" or "somewhat" favorable view of Musk, while 36 percent expressed similar sentiments towards Trump.
As reported by The Hill, the survey also shed light on the unfavorable views held by the public. It showed that 51 percent of respondents viewed the SpaceX CEO in a negative light, while 60 percent held unfavorable views of the President-elect.
Musk, the world's wealthiest individual and the head of several companies, played a pivotal role in the 2024 presidential race. He threw his weight behind Trump's campaign, investing a staggering $250 million to ensure a second term for the former president, who was embroiled in numerous legal disputes. This information was disclosed in recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.
In addition to his financial support, Musk actively campaigned for Trump, promoting his preferred candidates on X, a social media platform he acquired in 2022. Following Trump's victory in November, Musk was appointed alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's former 2024 GOP primary rival, to helm the newly established "Department of Government Efficiency." This department is tasked with overhauling federal agencies, reducing regulations, and eliminating "wasteful expenditures."
However, Musk's active support for Trump led to a significant drop in his popularity among Democrats, with previous polls showing his favorability in single digits. A September NBC News poll found that only 6 percent of Democrats held positive views of the entrepreneur, while a staggering 79 percent expressed negative sentiments. The same survey revealed that 62 percent of Republicans viewed Musk positively, with only 14 percent holding a negative view.
The views of independent voters, as per the NBC survey, were divided. Approximately 31 percent held a positive view of Musk, while 36 percent had a negative perception. The AP-NORC poll, conducted from December 5-9, involved interviews with 1,251 American adults and has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points. This data underscores the polarizing figures of both Trump and Musk in the American political landscape.
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