Elon Musk threatens to fund primaries against Republican senators who oppose Trump nominees

EMElon Musk and Trump advisers warned Republican senators in Dec. 2024 and Jan. 2025 that senators voting against Trump's Cabinet nominees would face primary challengers funded by Musk's political action committees. A senior Trump adviser told lawmakers, "If you are on the wrong side of the vote, you're buying yourself a primary. There's a guy named Elon Musk who is going to finance it." Musk warned he was compiling a "naughty list" of members who bucked Trump's agenda and pledged that his political action committee would "play a significant role in primaries." Conservative activist Charlie Kirk amplified the threats, stating "primaries are going to be launched" and "funding is already being put together" against senators opposing Trump nominees.

The primary threats targeted specific Republican senators facing reelection in 2026, particularly those who initially expressed concerns about Trump nominees. 🌽Iowa Senator JEJoni Ernst drew the most intense pressure campaign after questioning PHPete Hegseth's nomination for Defense Secretary. Charlie Kirk warned Ernst directly, "Don't be surprised if all of a sudden you get a primary challenge in Iowa." Building America's Future, a political nonprofit funded by Musk, spent approximately $500,000 on ads targeting Ernst urging her to confirm Hegseth. Other targeted senators included TTThom Tillis (🌲North Carolina), BCBill Cassidy (🎺Louisiana), Jim Risch (🥔Idaho), Mike Rounds (🗿South Dakota), and Deb Fischer (🌽Nebraska). One Republican senator noted, "This is one of the reasons why you see people who are close to an election—Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis—voting for certain nominees."

Trump appointed 23 former Fox News employees to positions across his second-term administration, creating an unprecedented pipeline between a news network and federal government. Cabinet-level appointments included PHPete Hegseth (Defense Secretary, former Fox & Friends Weekend host, confirmed 51-50 on Jan. 24, 2025), Sean Duffy (Transportation Secretary, former Fox Business host), Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence, former Fox News contributor), and Mike Huckabee (U.S. Ambassador to Israel, former Fox News host from 2008-2015). Other appointees included Tom Homan (border czar, former Fox News contributor), Jeanine Pirro (interim U.S. Attorney for 🏛️D.C., appointed May 2025, former Fox News host), Sebastian Gorka (Deputy Assistant to the President, former Fox News contributor), and Monica Crowley (State Department Chief of Protocol nominee, former Fox News contributor). Trump also appointed Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo and Fox News host Laura Ingraham to the Kennedy Center board.

All 22 Cabinet positions requiring Senate confirmation were confirmed by Sep. 19, 2025, with the final confirmation being Michael Waltz as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (confirmed 47-43). The Senate confirmed most Cabinet nominees between Jan. and Mar. 2025: Marco Rubio (State, Jan. 20), PHPete Hegseth (Defense, Jan. 24, 51-50 with VP Vance breaking tie), Kristi Noem (Homeland Security, Jan. 25, 59-34), Sean Duffy (Transportation, Jan. 28, 77-22), Scott Bessent (Treasury, Feb. 4, 77-23), Pam Bondi (Attorney General, Feb. 4, 54-46), and others through the spring. Michael Waltz's nomination was delayed because he served as National Security Advisor from Jan. 20 until Trump nominated him for UN Ambassador on May 1. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held his confirmation hearing on Jul. 15, 2025, and he was confirmed Sep. 19—the last member of Trump's Cabinet confirmed.

The pressure campaign achieved its intended effect of ensuring Senate compliance with Trump's Cabinet choices. Senator JEJoni Ernst initially expressed concerns about PHPete Hegseth but ultimately supported his confirmation after facing intense pressure including Musk-funded attack ads, threats from conservative activists, and social media campaigns. Only three Republican senators voted against Hegseth: Susan Collins (🦞Maine), Lisa Murkowski (🐻Alaska), and Mitch McConnell (🐴Kentucky). Senator TTThom Tillis announced in Jun. 2025 that he would not seek reelection in 2026, less than 24 hours after Trump threatened him with a primary challenge for opposing Trump's tax and spending bill. Senator BCBill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, faced multiple primary challengers including state Treasurer John Fleming, former U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves, and state senator Blake Miguez. The political environment shifted dramatically as Republican senators who expressed initial doubts about nominees encountered strong pushback from Trump allies on social media and threats of Musk-funded primary challenges.