Elon Musk reportedly had some advice for Republican lawmakers during an ultra-exclusive GOP donors retreat this week: Be more compassionate, and stay out of people’s bedrooms.
Musk delivered the message Tuesday during a question-and-answer session at an annual private gathering hosted by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in Jackson, Wyoming. The billionaire attended the event as a personal guest of McCarthy, who introduced him as the “Thomas Edison of our time.”
When asked by one donor how the GOP could improve its platform, Musk said Republicans should project a more compassionate stance to voters and be more welcoming toward immigrants, Axios reported.
The Tesla CEO purportedly asserted that immigration is a key part of maintaining a strong economy and cited his own decision to relocate from his native South Africa to the US.
Musk reportedly said the country would improve if Republicans “stayed out of people’s bedrooms,” and that Democrats likewise should stay “out of people’s wallets.”
The world’s richest person reportedly drew laughter from GOP heavyweights grumbling about the $11 billion tax bill he faced after a Tesla stock selling spree. Musk has regularly clashed with prominent liberals, such as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, over their efforts to target the wealthiest Americans with higher taxes.
Musk also spoke about the dangers of socialism during the GOP donor event, according to Axios.
The Post has reached out to Musk’s and McCarthy’s offices for comment.
Musk’s appearance at the retreat came as he has become increasingly outspoken on politics. A self-described moderate, Musk recently declared that he plans to vote Republican in the future because the Democratic Party has shifted too far left.
“In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party,” Musk said earlier this year. “But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.”
In June, Musk revealed that he was leaning toward supporting Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis if he runs for president in 2024.
He also predicted a “massive red wave” in the 2022 midterm elections after casting his first-ever vote in favor of a Republican candidate while backing Mayra Flores in the special election for Texas’ 34th Congressional District.
Musk, who faced criticism on social media over his decision to attend the GOP donor retreat, reiterated his centrist views on Twitter the same day of his appearance.
“To be clear, I support the left half of the Republican Party and the right half of the Democratic Party!” Musk tweeted.