Elon Musk donates $10M to support Republican US Senate hopeful

WASHINGTON

US tech billionaire Elon Musk has contributed $10 million to support a pro-Trump candidate running to succeed retiring Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, according to a report on Monday.

Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Musk delivered the funds last week to a political action committee for Republican candidate Nate Morris, who is vying to succeed McConnell, 83, the senior senator for the Southern state of Kentucky.

The billionaire, who had a public falling out with President Donald Trump last year and briefly considered forming a third party, has since returned to the Republican fold. He remains Trump's largest single donor.

The donation, the largest Musk has ever given to a Senate candidate, followed a November dinner Musk had with Vice President Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich.

Musk last year effectively exited the White House after facing a public backlash over his unofficial government efficiency department -- known as DOGE -- whose cost-cutting was criticized as both inefficient and recklessly harmful. He also cited the need to refocus on his car company Tesla, which faced large protests and declining sales over his controversial political work.