Welcome to the online version From a political deskThis is an evening newsletter that brings you the latest reports and analysis from the NBC News Politics team, from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign.
In today's version, Bridget Bowman explores how Democrats use Elon Musk in campaign attacks, not just Republicans. Additionally, Andrea Mitchell intervened in another Oval Office showdown between President Donald Trump and world leaders.
Sign up every business day here to receive this newsletter in your inbox.
- Adam Wollner
Elon Musk retreated from his initial important role in the Trump administration and said he would "spend a lot less" on political advancement. But he is still sure to be a major figure in the campaign in the coming weeks and months.
As Bridget Bowman reports, the latest example is in New Jersey, where the governor is in less than three weeks. Two new attack ads launched this week pointed to Democrat Mikie Sherrill's House campaign received donations from company PAC, which has donated to Musk's company SpaceX.
It highlights how Democrats hope to invoke Musk in the attack, not just a attack on Republicans—as did in the Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign last month, but also for their own parties. It provides a potential preview of what will happen in the democratic race entering the 2026 midterm elections, with Musk becoming a political boo on the left as he is a major Republican donor and a major role in the Department of Government Efficiency in 2024.
According to campaign financial records, Sherrill's House movement is one of nearly 180 democratic congressional movements that have received contributions from SpaceX's PAC since 2008. During the same period, the company PAC also donated to about 240 Republican Congress movements.
If there are any signs in the New Jersey game, donations this year could become a political responsibility for Democrats. The winners list includes some who will participate in the Senate primary in 2026. These include Angie Craig of Minnesota and Haley Stevens of Michigan and Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois.
Craig's campaign has previously said it donated SpaceX of her campaign to charity. According to his campaign, Krishnamore's campaign also donated the funds to charities before launching the Senate.
Sherrill did the same thing, according to a recent campaign financing report, with $24,000 her campaign received from SpaceX Corporate since 2019 to the New Jersey Community Food Bank on March 20.
Last year, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a member of the governor's rival, also donated $2,500 from Musk last year. Gottheimer campaign spokesman Peter Opitz said in a statement to NBC News that Gottheimer "donated donations last year to help New Jersey Democrats beat Republicans in the ballot box."
Read more from Bridget →
President Donald Trump’s unique approach to diplomacy in public, especially when occupying the advantage of poor foreign leaders, is fully demonstrated in the Oval Office today by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s political ambush.
Reminiscent of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's White House dressed in February, Trump, vice president of Vice President JD Vance, Chief of Steven Miller and South African native Elon Musk, started vigorously as Ramaphosa tried to exaggerate. He talked about the trade agreement and brought South African golf legend Ernie Els and a book showing the attractions of golf courses in the country.
But instead of defending his administration privately from baseless U.S. allegations of unsubstantiated U.S. accusations of defending his administration’s genocide against ethnic white farmers, Trump has made the Oval Office lights fade the video that promotes these claims.
As required by the law, the State Department has not designated genocide in South Africa, but a spokesman said the president said that there are enough people happening. Musk has also repeatedly posted on X, South African law allows for the confiscation of white land. In some cases, this is correct, but it does require judicial review. The United States has also cut $400 million in foreign aid to South Africa, including through the U.S. President’s Emergency Relief Program (PEPFAR), which saved millions of lives by preventing the spread of HIV.
Several Democratic senators challenged Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday on genocide allegations. Senator Chris van Hollen, D-Md. Tell NBC News that no one doubts that South Africa has a horrible crime problem, but the genocide charge is a "fake of 59 white people brought to the United States last week as refugees."
The move comes last week after Trump suspended refugee asylum plans in an executive order on January 20, canceling temporary protection status for thousands of Afghans living in the United States since the Taliban acquisition.
On a separate but related issue, Senator Tim Kaine, D-VA. Telling NBC News, the senators are introducing a privileged resolution condemning the government's recent deportation, reportedly being eight immigrants, reportedly targeting South Sudan. A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated a previous court order through the deportation. The resolution requires a simple majority to pass in the Republican-led Senate and is expected to vote after Memorial Day adjourns.
At the moment, it's all political desks. Today's newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Ben Kamisar.
If you have feedback - like or dislike - please email us politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com
If you are a fan, please share it with everyone and anyone. They can register here.