Why Elon Musk and Mark Cuban are divided over Trump and Harris

I've interviewed Mark Cuban several times since 2015, but I've never seen him campaign vigorously for a Democrat, let alone a progressive candidate.

Mark Cuban could be a good president one day, but he hasn't ventured far into politics yet.

At least until this year.

The part-owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks and “Shark Tank” investor isn’t exactly a Republican. But I've interviewed him several times since 2015, and I've never seen him campaign strongly for a Democrat, let alone a progressive candidate, until now.

Still, Cuban was campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and just interviewed the vice president for her YouTube page.

What does the Texas billionaire see in the Harris campaign? And why is he at war with another famous Texas billionaire, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk?

I asked Cuban about his recent foray into politics.

Mark Cuban: “I know Harris would be a better president”

The Cuban had repeatedly argued with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for years, even before the New Yorker ventured into politics. But in 2015, Cuban said Trump was “probably the best thing to happen to politics in a long, long time.”

Cuban originally thought it would be good if Trump, a fellow businessman, could change the situation in American politics.

“I thought, ‘He’s great. He's not your typical Stepford candidate. I thought that was positive'” Cuban said this to former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in a recent interview.

He quickly changed his mind.

In a column I wrote for the Daily Beast in 2017, Cuban told me that Trump was an “idiot” but that he was not a “liberal.”

“Are you a liberal now? Or even a far-left progressive?” I asked him in an email this month if he actively supports Harris.

“lol. No. I am still independent and decide position by position,” Cuban wrote back. “I know Harris would be a better president. That’s the only reason I support her.”

“If it were up to me, they could make political parties illegal and I would be happy,” Cuban added.

This sentiment is likely to disappoint conservatives, confuse liberals and delight libertarians.

Many conservatives believed that he appeared to be one of them. And it turns out that even though he's campaigning for Harris, he still agrees with conservatives on some ideas.

“I would prefer a smaller, more effective government,” Cuban said. “But I prefer to be pragmatic than dogmatic.”

He said government programs can help people in need and that he values philanthropic entrepreneurship. His Cost Plus Drug Co. is a real-world example. The online pharmacy offers drug prices at a fraction of the normal cost.

“We as a country are only as good as our children. When children and their parents fight, it makes life more difficult for them and those who love and help them,” Cuban told me. “If we solve some of our fundamental problems, we can start removing these programs that need them.”

Despite Harris' policy positions advocating $25,000 down payment assistance for qualified first-time homebuyers and issuing 1 million “fully forgivable” loans of up to $20,000 for Black business owners, Cuban still believes , that she is better suited for the job than Trump.

“I want a president who is honest, ethical and open-minded, not an ideologue or dogmatist,” Cuban wrote. “Pragmatic, analytical and learns from her experiences and from others.”

“It’s the Harris campaign against Elon.”

Cuban isn't the only billionaire involved in this presidential campaign. Elon Musk, another Texas billionaire, has campaigned heavily for Trump.

“Elon has taken over the basic game of the Republican Party,” Cuban told me. “I believe this election will be won by the organization that does its job best.”

He recognizes Musk's influence. “It’s about the Harris campaign against Elon, not even against Trump,” Cuban said during a recent appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

But he still doesn't understand why Musk is campaigning so hard for Trump. “I don't know it. It makes no sense to me,” Cuban wrote.

Musk's advocacy could be related to his hatred of government censorship. He now owns X, formerly Twitter. The Washington Post called Musk “the world’s richest free speech advocate.”

Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have questioned the limits of free speech, a sentiment that has conservatives fearing for their leadership if they win.

I've interviewed Cuban enough to appreciate his views on politics and politics, even if I don't share many of them. I also appreciate Musk's commitment to free speech. When I see the two of them arguing, I feel like two uncles are arguing.

So I had to ask Cuban: Musk is worth about $270 billion. Cuban is worth about $6 billion. How can voters know this isn't just a personal dispute between Texas billionaires?

“For me, this isn’t about Elon,” Cuban said. “He's a great entrepreneur, a world-class troll, but that doesn't change the fact that Kamala Harris is a far better candidate.”

Mark Cuban on Trump's tariffs and paying taxes

The Cuban clearly enjoys being in the middle of the political fray, but he is first and foremost a businessman.

Cuban co-founded the first commercial streaming company, which he sold in 1999 for nearly $6 billion, making 91% of his employees millionaires.

As the first billionaire investor on ABC's “Shark Tank,” Cuban was one of the main reasons for the show's success. In the past, I've asked him how ordinary Americans should deal with a possible recession. (Pay off debt and save money.) I was now curious to hear his thoughts on some of Trump's more controversial economic policies and how they would affect the finances of ordinary people.

Trump, for example, recently promised to impose a base tariff of up to 20% on imports into the US and 60% on imports from China.

“We actually asked the entrepreneurs who were on the show how the tariffs would affect their business. They all said it negatively impacted them by increasing their costs and uncertainty in capital allocation,” Cuban said. “If you don't know if there will be tariffs or what the costs will be, you can't continue to do business as usual. And when tariffs occur across the board, in most cases they reduce your sales and profits.”

Trump's tariff proposal is disappointing. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said it would be American consumers who would “bear the brunt” of such policies.

Conservatives who like Trump cite his tax breaks, set to expire in 2025, as an example of why he should be president.

In the spring, Cuban posted on X that he was proud to pay nearly $300 million in taxes. I asked him why he thought the top 1% should pay more than their fair share of taxes.

“Because we were lucky to a certain extent,” Cuban said. “I started in the streaming business when the stock market for internet companies was exploding. That's luck. The only reason I was in this position was because of all the amazing things this country has given me. Because of all the people who gave their lives.” What is at stake is protecting us. None of this is free. After military service, it's the most patriotic thing you can do.

Is it true for Cubans to pay taxes and help others become millionaires? Or would he ever put his name on the ballot as an independent?

In a 2016 interview, Cuban told me that he would never run for president but would consider running for vice president. The 2028 election is just four years away.

“Who would be your running mate?” I asked.

Always charming and clever, he replied, “Are you available?”

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four children. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered straight to your inbox.

“It’s the Harris campaign against Elon.”

Mark Cuban on Trump's tariffs and paying taxes

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