Elon Musk runs into stage wearing a cheesehead hat, throws it at the audience. Here's why

Elon Musk wears a cheesehead hat as he speaks during a town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin on March 30. (Image credit: AFP)

The world's richest man ran onto the stage in the US state of Wisconsin on Sunday wearing a cheesehead hat. He then signed it and threw it at the cheering crowd in a move that made him viral on social media. Elon Musk also gave out $1 million cheques to two Wisconsin voters, declaring them spokespersons for his political group.

"Cheesehead" is a nickname in the country for a person from Wisconsin for a fan of the local football team, Green Bay Packers. The state is associated with cheese because it historically produced more dairy products than any other American state. "Cheesehead" was initially used as a derogatory term but was quickly embraced by residents of the state and is now their pride.

BREAKING: Elon Musk takes the stage in Wisconsin and throws a signed Cheesehead hat into the crowd pic.twitter.com/h48NKA0Bi1

America (@america) March 31, 2025

By wearing a cheesehead hat infront of a crowd of about 2,000 gathered in a standing-room-only room at the KI Convention Center, Musk attempted to win their favour as he laid out why he supports the Republican in Tuesday’s high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race and why he awarded million-dollar checks to two Wisconsinites who signed an America PAC petition opposing “partisan” judges.

"What's happening on Tuesday is a vote for which party controls the US House of Representatives," Musk declared, arguing that the federal congress was so evenly balanced Wisconsin's seats could decide its majority. "And whichever party controls the House ... to a significant degree, controls the country, which then steers the course of Western civilization. So it's like, I feel like this is one of those things that may not seem that it's going to affect the entire destiny of humanity, but I think it will," he added.

Wisconsin is a swing state in the balance between the Democratic and Republican parties, and Musk argued that only a Supreme Court leaning to the right could protect pro-Trump districts from gerrymandering and voter fraud.

The race pits conservative Brad Schimel against liberal Susan Crawford. The outgoing judge was backed by Democrats, so a Schimel win would tilt the court right, while Crawford would preserve its liberal leanings.

Wisconsin was won by Trump in the 2024 presidential election, but its electoral districts could be redrawn before the next mid-term Congressional elections in November next year.