Republican congressman’s two-word response during CNN grilling over Musk campaign donation rumors

New York Congressman Mike Lawler issued a two-word response after being grilled live on CNN about rumors that Elon Musk donated to his re-election campaigns.

The Republican lawmaker sparred with former New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat, as they discussed reports that the world’s richest man was set for a secret Pentagon briefing about the U.S. military’s top-secret war plans for China on Newsnight.

“Congressman Lawler is not going to criticize him because Elon Musk is a major donor to Congressman Lawler’s re-election campaigns,” Bowman said on Thursday’s program. “And that’s the problem.”

Anchor Abby Phillip added: “Is that true, Congressman Lawler… that he’s a major donor to your campaign?”

“Not directly,” Lawler, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, responded. “No, not directly to my campaign. He had an independent expenditure that he spent on dozens of congressional races.”

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Bowman alleged that Lawler was the second biggest recipient of money from Musk after Trump, who, along with his MAGA allies, received more than $290 million, according to federal filings. Earlier this month, reports emerged that Musk was weighing a $100 million donation to a super PAC associated with the president.

Musk’s super-political action committee, America PAC spent more than $1.7 million backing Lawler, who successfully defeated Democrat Mondaire Jones for New York’s 17th congressional district in the 2024 election.

Federal campaign finance records show that the Trump adviser poured in about $19 million across 18 key congressional races in 11 states in an attempt to preserve the GOP House majority in November. Republicans hold a slim five-seat majority in the Lower Chamber.

Lawler will be up for re-election in November 2026.

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According to The New York Times, Lawler is allegedly eyeing a gubernatorial run despite it having been almost 20 years since a Republican has won a governor’s race in the Empire State.

Musk has reportedly donated to seven congressional Republicans, all of whom support the Trump administration’s calls to impeach constrain judges who have attacked Trump or halted parts of his America First agenda.

The tech billionaire claimed in recent days that such judges are leading a “judicial coup.”

While Lawler didn’t directly call to impeach Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted Trump in his hush money criminal case, he lobbied for the Manhattan District Attorney’s removal in December.

Musk gave thousands of dollars in donations each to Representatives Eli Crane of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Brandon Gill of Texas, and Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, reports The New York Times.