Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images; Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images; Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Elon Musk, a prominent backer of former President Donald Trump, said Vice President Kamala Harris "exceeded most people's expectations" at ABC's September 10 presidential debate — but that won't stop him from backing Trump.
"While I don't think the debate hosts were fair to @realDonaldTrump, @KamalaHarris exceeded most people's expectations tonight," Musk wrote on X hours after the debate.
"That said, when it comes to getting things done, not just saying nice-sounding words, I strongly believe that Trump will do a far better job," Musk continued.
In his post, Musk also questioned why Harris hadn't already done "great things" as President Joe Biden's deputy.
"The question comes down to this: do you want current trends to continue for 4 more years or do you want change?" Musk said.
During the debate, Harris stayed on message while occasionally giving her opponent some serious side-eye on the split screen.
Trump, meanwhile, barely looked at Harris. The former president also started unleashing his rage on live TV after she successfully baited him on his rally crowd size.
While I don’t think the debate hosts were fair to @realDonaldTrump, @KamalaHarris exceeded most people’s expectations tonight.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2024
That said, when it comes to getting things done, not just saying nice-sounding words, I strongly believe that Trump will do a far better job.
After…
Musk hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with Trump, who was in office from 2016 to 2020. In 2022, Musk said Trump should "sail into the sunset."
Today, Musk is among Trump's biggest supporters. He first voiced his full-throated endorsement of Trump after a shooter made an attempt on the former president's life during a Pennsylvania rally.
Musk has since regularly used X — which he owns — to repost pro-Trump content and slam Harris, sometimes with AI-generated images and videos.
In August, Musk hosted Trump for a live stream on X, where the two talked about Trump's assassination attempt, immigration, and other issues.
During the live stream, Musk expressed interest in serving in a second Trump administration, specifically as a member of a government efficiency commission.
"I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that takes a look at these things and just ensures that the taxpayers' hard-earned money is spent in a good way, and I'd be happy to help out on such a commission," Musk said.
"I'd love it," Trump replied.
Representatives for Trump and Harris did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
