The tycoon hailed the Republican presidential candidate as a champion of democracy and the US Constitution

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made an appearance at a Donald Trump rally on Saturday, endorsing the Republican presidential nominee as the savior of democracy in the US.

Addressing an excited crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Trump stood behind bulletproof glass while introducing Musk, calling him a “truly incredible guy” who will help the US secure its future. The tycoon, wearing a black baseball cap emblazoned with the Trump campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” promptly leapt onto the stage and shook the former president’s hand.

Musk spoke to the rally, noting that it was being held in the same location where Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July, when a bullet grazed his ear. “The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire. We had one president who could not climb a flight of stairs, and another who was fist-pumping after getting shot,” he said, referring to an incident in which US President Joe Biden lost his footing while boarding Air Force One.

“Fight, fight, fight! Blood coming down the face!” he added, raising his fist in the air.

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On a more subdued note, Musk, the owner of X and a self-described “free speech absolutist,” went on to call the November presidential vote “the most important election of our lifetime… The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech. They want to take away your right to bear arms. They want to take away your right to vote, effectively,” he said.

“President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. He must win to preserve democracy in America,” the billionaire stressed, as the jubilant crowd chanted “Elon Musk.”

Despite previously proclaiming his political neutrality, Musk began to lean towards Trump in recent months, publicly endorsing him after the assassination attempt. He has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration and Democrats for what he sees as government overreach and red tape, while expressing concern about the level of illegal immigration into the US, which has been a centerpiece of Trump’s campaign for years.

In early September, Trump promised to establish a Musk-led government efficiency commission to audit the entire federal apparatus if he wins the election.