Surreality bites at Musk's $1m election giveaway

Standing before a large US flag, which spanned the breadth of a vast stage, the world's richest man told an assembled crowd S that he loved them.

- Oliver Laughland PITTSBURGH

"This kind of energy lights a fire in my soul," he said, having just made one of the crowd a millionaire after everyone chanted his name.

His love - and that $1m - of course, was contingent on them all doing as Elon Musk wanted: signing a petition tied to his political action committee (Pac), which is dedicated to sending Donald Trump back to the White House. The spectacle was both surreal and potentially illegal. But no one here, not least Musk, seemed to care.

The billionaire was in Pittsburgh on his final stop across the vital swing state of Pennsylvania, having donated $75m to help get Trump re-elected, and seemingly willing to accept a job offer in a Trump government.

Musk's latest ploy to help Trump gain more political power has been to give away $1m every day to a member of the public, provided they also live in aswing state and are registered to vote.