'All hell has broken loose': Inside Elon Musk's high-stakes pro-Trump door-knocking effort [View all]

Source: NBC News

Nov. 1, 2024, 5:00 AM EDT


Nine Republican operatives and canvassers connected to the Elon Musk-backed America PAC told NBC News that they’re worried the high-profile grassroots operation on behalf of Donald Trump’s presidential bid may hamper his chances in states decided by slim margins.

America PAC has been tasked with much of the pro-Trump canvassing operation as his campaign focuses its efforts on a more limited effort targeting so-called low-propensity voters. In turn, the Musk-backed organization is going door to door in all of the major swing states to help turn out Trump supporters and have them fill out surveys about their voting intentions.

But the people who spoke to NBC News, many of whom have years of experience in GOP field operations, said the operation may not be the well-oiled machine many in the party might hope it is, especially considering how much money is behind the effort. In particular, they raised concerns about canvassers’ submitting an inordinate amount of suspect data.

That data, some of which NBC News has reviewed, includes entries submitted far from the home or while canvassers are logged into Wi-Fi networks — telltale signs that a door was not knocked on, sources said. In addition, a video explaining how to “spoof” one’s location while submitting data drew attention in Nevada and Arizona, raising further concerns. “I know it’s been flagged for America PAC that this has been transpiring,” an operative formerly on the effort said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/elon-musks-high-stakes-trump-door-knocking-effort-america-pac-rcna176255