Can Elon Musk Run for Vice President

Twitter CEO Elon Musk recently appeared in an audio announcement event for the 2024 presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that was streamed on Twitter Spaces.

While the governor is engaged in his presidential campaign, Elon Musk’s presence at the event has made people wonder whether Elon Musk is running for Vice president.

Let’s evaluate if there exists any possibility for the celebrity and Twitter owner to enter politics and run for the country’s important political position.

Can Elon Musk Run For Vice President?

If we are to answer whether Elon Musk can run for Vice President of America in one word, the answer would be “no.”

The reason goes to the United States Constitution. According to the provision of the American Constitution, to become Vice President, any person must qualify for the same requirements as to be President.

As per Article II, section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, the person who wishes to become a president must meet three mandatory criteria. To be eligible, they must be a natural-born U.S. Citizen, a U.S. citizen for 14 years or more, and at least 35 years old in age.

Elon Musk is not a natural-born U.S. citizen. He was born in South Africa. His father is South African, and his mother is Canadian. Having been born outside the U.S. to non-American parents disqualifies him from being eligible for the presidential election or Vice President.

Elon Musk cannot run for President as long as the provision of the American Constitution remains the same.

The Constitutional rules for the President have Article II, Section I, Clause VI, which states, “In case of the removal of the President, death, resignation or inability to discharge the duties of the office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may provide by law for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability of the President and Vice President, declaring what person shall act as President and such person shall act accordingly until the Disability be resolved, or a President shall be elected.”

Also, according to the 25th Constitutional Amendment, section 1, the Vice President becomes President if the President is removed from office or of his death or resignation.

In the United States, the Vice President does not run for office. The President of America appoints him.

Hence, before the presidential election, the candidates select their running mate, who becomes the Vice President of America when the respective presidential nominee gets elected President.

If the President wins by securing 270 electoral college votes, the President appoints his/her running mate as Vice President.

Since Elon Musk is ineligible to run for U.S. President as per the 12th Amendment of the Constitution, it also makes him ineligible for Vice President.