WASHINGTON -- Tech billionaire Elon Musk has mislaid immoderate of his luster with Republicans since his messy nationalist falling-out with President Donald Trump past week, a caller survey finds.
Fewer Republicans presumption Trump's onetime authorities ratio bulldog “very favorably” compared with April, according to the canvass from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Though astir Republicans proceed to clasp a affirmative presumption of Musk, their diminished fervor suggests his vocal absorption to Trump's signature spending and taxation chopped authorities — and Musk's consequent online governmental and idiosyncratic taunts — whitethorn person outgo him immoderate enthusiasm wrong the party.
“Some things person happened lately that person changed however I consciousness astir him a little,” said Alabama Republican Katye Long, whose feelings for Musk person cooled to “somewhat favorable.”
“I liked what helium was doing erstwhile helium was helping. But present I consciousness similar he’s benignant of hurting,” said the 34-year-old automotive constituent mill worker and parent of 3 from Woodstock, Alabama. “I besides don’t consciousness similar helium matters that much. He’s not really portion of the government. He’s conscionable a affluent feline who pushes his opinions.”
Musk's wide popularity hasn't shifted, the canvass found, and astir of the displacement among Democrats and Republicans was betwixt “very” and “somewhat” beardown opinions. Americans are little apt to presumption him favorably than his electrical conveyance company, Tesla. That said, astir fractional of Americans person a antagonistic sentiment of Tesla, highlighting different situation for Musk erstwhile the institution has dropped successful worth and been the people of protests successful the U.S. and Europe. About one-third person a favorable presumption of Tesla, portion astir 2 successful 10 don't cognize capable to say.
Even a subtle displacement successful the strength of Republicans’ feelings astir Musk could beryllium important arsenic the electrical car and aerospace mogul weighs a 2nd governmental enactment aft spending astir $200 cardinal successful work of Trump’s 2024 predetermination effort.
After decrying the GOP’s monolithic taxation and fund argumentation measure arsenic “a disgusting abomination,” Musk wrote connected X, his societal media platform, “In November adjacent year, we occurrence each politicians who betrayed the American people.”
The canvass suggests the messy feud with Trump whitethorn person rubbed immoderate Republicans the incorrect way, arsenic the stock of Republicans viewing Musk arsenic “very favorable” has dropped from 38% successful April to 26% now. At the aforesaid time, antipathy toward Musk among Democrats has waned a little. About two-thirds, 65%, of Democrats person a precise antagonistic presumption of Musk, down somewhat from astir three-quarters, 74%, successful April.
Musk's bitter back-and-forth with Trump has concern implications, too. Tesla was already struggling with a backlash against Musk's relation with Trump. Sales crossed Europe plunged by fractional successful May, adjacent arsenic maturation successful the electrical car marketplace accelerated. Then the company's shares plunged successful worth erstwhile Musk began sparring publically with the president.
Victoria Brown, of Kansas City, Kansas, rated Tesla “somewhat unfavorable” due to the fact that she objects to however Trump is conducting his medication and links the company’s proprietor with the president’s agenda.
“I don’t favour Trump. So, beauteous overmuch the information that they person been moving unneurotic means I don’t attraction excessively overmuch for Tesla,” said Brown, 63, a governmental autarkic and an security agent.
While the strength of people's feelings astir Musk whitethorn person changed, their wide opinions person not. About one-third of U.S. adults person a favorable sentiment of Musk, compared with astir 6 successful 10 who clasp an unfavorable view, portion astir 1 successful 10 don't cognize capable to say. That's unchanged from the April poll.
The caller canvass was conducted June 5-9, aft Musk near his authorities relation and began attacking Trump's marquee legislative priority.
Musk's nationalist clash with Trump began 4 days aft Trump honored Musk effusively during an Oval Office lawsuit discharging him from duties arsenic the caput of the Department of Government Efficiency.
After archetypal tearing down the fund bill, Musk 2 days aboriginal complained helium had ne'er seen the language, and helium aimed his occurrence astatine Trump, suggesting the president didn't sufficiently admit the relation Musk assumed arsenic the main benefactor to Trump's reelection effort.
“Without me, Trump would person mislaid the election, Dems would power the House and Republicans would beryllium 51-49 successful the Senate,” Musk wrote. “Such ingratitude.”
Musk went connected to assertion without grounds that the national authorities was concealing accusation astir Trump's relation with infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Musk deleted the post, and aboriginal Wednesday helium stepped backmost from his attacks connected Trump, penning connected X that helium regretted immoderate of his posts and they “went excessively far.”
Tesla endured a hard archetypal 4th successful 2025, with its income falling portion the world’s starring electrical car shaper faced protests successful showrooms. The caller canvass besides shows that Tesla is viewed acold much negatively than immoderate of its peers — notably, Ford, Toyota and General Motors.
Only astir one-third of U.S. adults person a “very” oregon “somewhat” favorable presumption of Tesla. About fractional of U.S. adults person an unfavorable sentiment of Tesla, including 30% of Republicans. Democrats, astatine 66%, are much than doubly arsenic apt arsenic Republicans to person a antagonistic presumption of Tesla. But adjacent among Republicans, Tesla is viewed little favorably than the different brands.
Marisa Mills is nary Musk fan. The 41-year-old teacher from Oakland, California, objects to his relation with Trump and what the Democrat sees arsenic their misguided conception that authorities is ever good served by operating similar a business.
And yet she was erstwhile arrogant to person Tesla gathering cars successful her ain county. She soured connected the institution successful 2020, erstwhile Musk sued Alameda County implicit its workplace restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, earlier helium moved the institution to Texas successful 2021.
“My authorities is expected to service the people, not his company. We were each gladsome to spot him go,” Mills said. “I bash regret that we present person feelings of regret for the Tesla car product. We were erstwhile truthful proud.”
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Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.
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The AP-NORC canvass of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, utilizing a illustration drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to beryllium typical of the U.S. population. The borderline of sampling mistake for adults wide is positive oregon minus 4 percent points.
___ The Associated Press’ clime and biology sum receives fiscal enactment from aggregate backstage foundations. The AP is solely liable for each content. Find the AP’s standards for moving with philanthropies, a database of supporters and funded sum areas astatine AP.org.
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