![It may be time to panic about Musk's US election influence](https://cdn.magzter.com/1591272633/1722052284/articles/h9dOgGVHK1722068107505/IT-MAY-BE-TIME-TO-PANIC-ABOUT-MUSKS-US-ELECTION-INFLUENCE.jpg)
You may have been following Musk's very public love-in with Donald Trump. No sooner had the former president picked himself up off the ground after a failed assassination attempt than Musk used his own platform - Twitter/X - to announce to its hundreds of millions of users that he was "fully" endorsing him.
There followed a string of conspiracy-minded posts, including the suggestion that the failure of the Secret Service to protect Trump could have been deliberate. The "legacy media" was, he announced, a "pure propaganda machine". Unlike Twitter/X, which was the voice of the people. His words.
He endorsed Trump-Vance ("Resounds with victory"). He once again denigrated legacy media. And then The Wall Street Journal reported that he would be giving around $45m (£35m) a month to a new pro-Trump super Pac - a political action committee which can channel unlimited sums of money to advocate for a particular candidate.
Musk says it's not as much as $45m, and that the mysterious super Pac is not solely devoted to getting Trump back in the White House - even though Trump himself gleefully welcomed it at a rally. In any event, there is a very considerable devotion between Musk and Trump and we should all be very happy on their behalf.
Except this. Musk owns the main platform where politicians, journalists and audiences converge in America today. Yes, Facebook is 10 times the size, but Mark Zuckerberg has tired of the messiness of news and politics. Twitter/X is hugely important as a place of news, opinion, influence and impact. And one man controls it.
Denne historien er fra July 27, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
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Denne historien er fra July 27, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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![Draper hit by sickness in semi-final defeat to Sinner](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/gia7Azxul1725689493594/DRAPER-HIT-BY-SICKNESS-IN-SEMIFINAL-DEFEAT-TO-SINNER.jpg)
Draper hit by sickness in semi-final defeat to Sinner
Jack Draper was sick on court four times as his US Open dream ended in semi-final heartbreak following a straight-sets defeat to Jannik Sinner. The British number one was enjoying an incredible run in New York and had big hopes of emulating Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu by winning the title.
![San Marino's competitive.cherry popped by a toe poke](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/AuwCjgHDM1725689406752/SAN-MARINOS-COMPETITIVECHERRY-POPPED-BY-A-TOE-POKE.jpg)
San Marino's competitive.cherry popped by a toe poke
It goes some way to illustrating the pain and patience that fans of San Marino have had to endure that their winning goalscorer on Thursday night wasn’t even born the last time the landlocked nation tasted international success.
![Carsley's gamble leads to an audition with a difference](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/4bi9DIC551725689247053/CARSLEYS-GAMBLE-LEADS-TO-AN-AUDITION-WITH-A-DIFFERENCE.jpg)
Carsley's gamble leads to an audition with a difference
One of the game's brightest coaches has the chance to show he's more than a 'safe pair of hands', writes Miguel Delaney
![Warring neighbours have became eternally entwined](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/Z7sqrtllE1725689095167/WARRING-NEIGHBOURS-HAVE-BECAME-ETERNALLY-ENTWINED.jpg)
Warring neighbours have became eternally entwined
England meet the Republic of Ireland today, reigniting a rivalry that has shades of grey between the white and green
![Boeing Starliner heads back to Earth without its crew](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/uZRqa_yA81725688980405/BOEING-STARLINER-HEADS-BACK-TO-EARTH-WITHOUT-ITS-CREW.jpg)
Boeing Starliner heads back to Earth without its crew
Boeing's troubled Starliner space craft undocked from the International Space Station yesterday - without its crew - and began a high-risk return to Earth. The Starliner undocked shortly after 2300 GMT and is scheduled to touch down six hours later in White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico.
![Rape and death threats for Afghan taekwondo star](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/77vQ2mDJM1725688890255/RAPE-AND-DEATH-THREATS-FOR-AFGHAN-TAEKWONDO-STAR.jpg)
Rape and death threats for Afghan taekwondo star
Online abuse of Marzieh Hamidi for criticising the Taliban hit new levels after she denounced her country's cricket team
![Super Typhoon Yagi makes landfall in 'China's Hawaii'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/FE20-3ssS1725688816714/SUPER-TYPHOON-YAGI-MAKES-LANDFALL-IN-CHINAS-HAWAII.jpg)
Super Typhoon Yagi makes landfall in 'China's Hawaii'
Super Typhoon Yagi landed in China’s Hainan yesterday, bringing violent gales and heavy rain that triggered widespread power outages, paralysing the tourist island province known as “China’s Hawaii”.
!['I did it': suspect admits to Georgia school shooting](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/VpX9Wc1iD1725688758097/I-DID-IT-SUSPECT-ADMITS-TO-GEORGIA-SCHOOL-SHOOTING.jpg)
'I did it': suspect admits to Georgia school shooting
The suspect accused of killing four people in a mass school shooting in the US, allegedly told investigators \"I did it\" while being questioned. Colt Gray, 14, who has been charged with four felony counts of murder, made the admission while being read his Miranda rights, Barrow County sheriff, Jud Smith, told CNN.
![Inside a city under fire as Russia advances in Donetsk](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/QSSkJj3ih1725688655929/INSIDE-A-CITY-UNDER-FIRE-AS-RUSSIA-ADVANCES-IN-DONETSK.jpg)
Inside a city under fire as Russia advances in Donetsk
Residents of Kostyantynivka, perilously close to the front line, tell of the relentless shelling they are facing as Putin's merciless forces tighten their grip on the Ukrainian region
![England head coach will not sing national anthem today](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1824577/qlB3idcvI1725688557409/ENGLAND-HEAD-COACH-WILL-NOT-SING-NATIONAL-ANTHEM-TODAY.jpg)
England head coach will not sing national anthem today
England manager and former Ireland player Lee Carsley says won't sing either anthem for today's match in Dublin, because that's always been his stance throughout his career.