Elon Musk has publicly positioned himself as a political "moderate" and voiced strong support for former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign. The declaration came during a wide-ranging conversation between the two on Monday, hosted on Musk's social media platform X.

Addressing the media's portrayal of him, Musk stated, "They try to paint me as a far-right guy, which is absurd because I like to make electric vehicles." He went on to recount his past support for Barack Obama and his history as a "moderate Democrat."

However, Musk noted a shift in his political stance, citing concerns about the nation's future. "Now I feel like we're at a critical juncture for the country," he said, directing his message to other moderates. "I think you should support Donald Trump for president."

The tech mogul warned of dire consequences should Trump lose the upcoming election, stating, "We're in deep trouble if it goes the other way." Trump, seemingly surprised by Musk's endorsement, responded, "I've always thought of you as somewhat left — it's even more of an honor to have your endorsement."

Elon Musk urges moderates to vote for Trump, and endorses Donald Trump a second time. Donald Trump thanks him for the endorsement:
Elon Musk: "This is to people out there who are in the moderate camp, to say 'I think you should support Donald Trump for president'
I actually think… pic.twitter.com/q1mI9ZhHMR

— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) August 13, 2024

The conversation, which lasted over two hours, covered various topics including a recent assassination attempt on Trump, immigration policies, and critiques of the current administration. Notably, this endorsement comes at a time when Musk is facing pressure from the European Commission regarding content moderation on X.

The EU Commission's Thierry Breton, who is waging a public war with X and Elon Musk, warns Elon that holding the Spaces event with Donald Trump will increase X's "risk profile" and make the platform liable to enforcement of the Digital Services Act by the EU.

"This notably… pic.twitter.com/zuNx6prIDC

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 12, 2024

Hours before the interview, Musk publicly rejected the Commission's demands for censorship of "harmful content" on his platform. This stance aligns with his previous claims of refusing "an illegal secret deal" offered by the Commission to quietly censor speech on X.

As the 2024 election approaches, Musk's unexpected endorsement and self-proclaimed moderate stance could potentially influence a significant portion of the electorate, adding a new dimension to an already contentious political landscape.