Elon Musk's $100 million midterm ad spend sparks warning from Mitt Romney

Elon Musk has poured more than $100 million into U.S. midterm election advertising, targeting swing states such as Maine to aid Republican candidates. The scale of the spending prompted former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to publicly criticize Musk, describing the influence as a “five‑alarm fire” and warning that such wealth‑driven political power is unprecedented.

Commentators have highlighted how Musk’s involvement is reshaping political discourse, with some arguing it pushes the Overton Window and forces a confrontation between reality and rhetoric. The debate underscores concerns about the impact of billionaire spending on democratic processes and the challenges of regulating such influence.