Sanders Criticizes Musk Over Reported $366 Million Spending

Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Elon Musk over reported political spending of about $366 million during the 2026 election cycle, saying the billionaire was using his wealth to help Republicans retain control of Congress. Musk’s spending, much of it directed to Republican groups, has also been defended by his political committee as a way to reach voters. Sanders made the criticism in an October 12 post on X. He cited Musk’s roughly $290 million in spending during the 2024 election cycle and claimed Musk’s wealth had increased by $696 billion since that election. Those wealth figures were Sanders’s assertions. He ended the post by calling for an end to oligarchy. The reported $366 million covers the 2026 cycle, which began January 1, 2025. Within that total, about $276 million was reported since July, including $158 million for the Senate Leadership Fund, which supports Republican Senate candidates, and $20 million for the Congressional Leadership Fund, which backs House Republicans. Musk also gave $76 million to America PAC, the political committee he founded. These amounts were reported by The New York Times and confirmed by an America PAC spokesman.