PHILIPSBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that he met with tech mogul Elon Musk on Sunday, but said politics never came up. .
NBC News reported Tuesday that Musk called Shapiro while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys game in Pittsburgh over the weekend. The connection between the two was Thomas Tull, a Hollywood producer turned investor, whose box had Musk sitting.
“Thomas and Elon were watching a Steelers game together and Elon Musk called me about the idea of investing in Pennsylvania and creating jobs and economic opportunity. I was happy to hear that.” Shapiro said after the event at the center. Counties promoting Pennsylvania state parks.
Musk is a Trump supporter who has poured money into a pro-Trump super PAC called America PAC, which he founded, but is a prominent supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, who he once considered a low-ranking candidate. Mr. Shapiro’s political position is at the opposite end of the spectrum. He is listed as her running mate.
“Obviously we didn’t talk about politics” during Sunday’s phone call, Shapiro said, acknowledging the political rift between him and Musk.
“We focused on what I strive to do every day to bring jobs, economic opportunity and growth to Pennsylvania, and we look forward to further investment, especially in southwestern Pennsylvania.” he added.
Asked if he was concerned about Musk’s history of anti-union rhetoric, Shapiro said he believes “union life is very important.” I will continue to support unions because they helped build our middle class and strengthened Pennsylvania. ”
In August, after Trump and Musk had a two-hour public conversation about did.
The National Labor Relations Board has also twice found Tesla to have violated labor laws. The first time was in 2018, when Musk questioned why Tesla employees wanted to pay union dues in a tweet, and the second time in 2021 when the company fired a union activist.
The phone call between Musk and Shapiro comes 30 days before Election Day, as both presidential campaigns ramp up their efforts in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, which could be crucial to both candidates’ path to victory. It was done at the time of cutting. Mr. Musk himself plans to campaign in the state on Mr. Trump’s behalf, a fact that Mr. Trump emphasized at a rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, calling Mr. Musk “fantastic.”
“He’s going to do a lot of things. He’s going to be involved,” Trump told supporters. “You know, Elon Musk, he’s campaigning in Pennsylvania right now because he feels very strongly.”
While Shapiro has been touring the state on behalf of Harris, Musk attended a weekend rally with Trump in Butler, the city north of Pittsburgh, where the July 13 assassination attempt took place. Attended.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of X Corp. and SpaceX Corp., has ties to the state since attending the University of Pennsylvania. After the Butler shooting, he officially supported Trump.
Musk “is kind of a recluse type of guy. He’s amazing. He’s a total genius,” Trump told supporters in Scranton on Wednesday. “We have to take care of our geniuses.”
