Elon Musk is wearing multiple hats this election season, raising questions about how his dual role as a tech leader and former President Trump's spokesperson could lead to conflicts of interest. There is.
Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, has government contracts worth billions of dollars with more than a dozen federal agencies.
The tech tycoon has emerged as leader of a committee focused on cutting government spending, even as President Trump is unsure whether he will join his second administration.
Former government officials and ethics experts say Musk's leadership of the new Government Efficiency Commission, which could oversee the agency that awards government contracts and subsidies to Musk-owned companies, will It suggests that this could jeopardize the objectivity and impartiality of the association.
John P. Pelissero, director of government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics in Santa Clara, said that regardless of whether Musk has an actual role in the administration, voters' “view” of an alliance with Trump will be different. It is said that it will raise doubts. University.
“A reasonable person would think of a situation in which a very wealthy individual with government contracts is placed in a position where he or she can influence the regulation of current and future contracts and business. “We can do that,” he said. .
New York Times analysis Published on Monday Musk's electric car company Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX have won $15.4 billion in government contracts over the past decade.
According to the analysis, NASA and the Department of Defense have awarded the largest contracts to SpaceX over the past decade, worth $11.8 billion and $3.6 billion, respectively.
The Space Force, a military branch created under the Trump administration, is a major supplier of these contracts. Just last week, Awarded SpaceX More than $733 million for new rocket launches.
NASA is Even bigger subsidy providers Tesla receives millions of dollars in government subsidies, while the government's space program relies increasingly on SpaceX.
Mr. Musk began a major shift toward right-wing politics after endorsing Mr. Trump in July, as government agencies continue to co-operate with and regulate his businesses.
A few weeks later, President Trump promised to create a “Government Efficiency Commission” to conduct a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and make recommendations for fundamental reforms.
The former president said Musk should lead the committee, and although the tech mogul has signaled his willingness to do so, it remains unclear what exactly the committee will do.
musk proposed last month SpaceX could reach Mars “as long as it's not cloaked by bureaucracy,” he said, calling the division proposed by President Trump “the only path to extending life beyond Earth.”
Former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler told The Hill that Musk's “wealth that makes him the richest man in the world comes from government contracts such as SpaceX, “It's based on subsidized companies like Tesla.”
“If he is so dependent on government decisions, he must either withdraw completely to do anything in government, or not take up the positions he was promised or offered. Wheeler said, adding that the situation: It is an existential threat to any responsible government. ”
The FCC is responsible for granting and revoking broadband subsidies for SpaceX's Starlink satellite units. musk criticized the agency This month, he said he was “illegally” revoking some of Starlink's subsidies.
Mr. Pelissero echoed Mr. Wheeler's opinion, suggesting that Mr. Musk should place his financial interest in his company in a blind trust so that it does not directly influence the financial results of his business.
Musk is not the first person to potentially face this crossroads, as it is not unusual for business leaders who have worked with the government to be offered a White House job.
“But… they would have to do so in a way that distances them from any conflicts of interest, and they would be required to disclose conflicts of interest while holding government positions,” Pelissero noted. .
Musk has become an increasingly visible member of the Trump campaign in recent weeks. He appeared at a campaign rally alongside President Trump earlier this month and began campaigning on his own across Pennsylvania last week.
Last week, he pledged to pay up to $1 million a day to new voters in Pennsylvania who signed petitions with the America PAC supporting free speech and the right to bear arms, raising concerns about the legality of that pledge. Ta.
Mr. Musk personally donated $75 million to a super PAC he founded earlier this year, according to campaign finance records.
Pelissero said the billionaire's ownership of social platform X and involvement in the campaign puts him in an unprecedented position.
“Mr. Musk is very actively campaigning for Mr. Trump. He has used his own money to heavily support one candidate running for office, and he has used social media platform “I have one, and I'm trying to get my voice out there and try to influence the outcome again,” he said.
“There's free speech to cover all of these things, but he has a particularly unique role as a major owner of a social media company, and he uses it not just to benefit President Trump, but ultimately to You can use it for your own benefit.”
Eugene Goltz, a professor at the University of Notre Dame, said that while concerns about conflicts of interest may remain, the public nature of the Trump-Musk alliance could soften the impact. He noted that there is still considerable risk in Musk's potential role.
“Some may worry that once Trump and Musk become president, the rules will be changed to exempt them, whether they do so or not,” he said. “They certainly pushed the envelope,” Elon said. “Musk certainly doesn't hide his political interests.”
“It's hard to say this is some sort of insider backroom deal. And the president has the right to appoint his wealthy friends to the office. Many presidents have done that.”
Mr. Goeltz, a former Pentagon official, suggested that if Mr. Trump is re-elected and Mr. Musk is appointed to the top job, the resulting conflict may be something voters can tolerate.
“If voters knew in advance about a publicly planned conflict of interest, it would probably be up to them to vote against the politician proposing that seemingly corrupt activity,” he said. Ta. “And if voters don't think those activities constitute 'corruption,' that may be a problem in some ways.”
“Forced avoidance measures are in place” such as cooling-off periods and blind trust requirements to prevent this, Golts said.
“Under current rules, and changing these would likely require an act of Congress, it is clear that Elon Musk would sign a contract with SpaceX if he were a government employee. “It would be illegal,” he said.
Whether this is sufficient protection is another story. If Musk were to resign voluntarily and power was transferred to deputy staffers, questions could still arise about whether their interests were independent of their bosses, Goltz said.
Musk's increased political activity already appears to be causing problems for SpaceX.
Earlier this month, a majority of the California Coastal Commission request denied It has received help from SpaceX to increase the number of Falcon 9 rockets launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The committee did not attribute the decision to Musk's political involvement, but a few members mentioned it during the hearing.
One committee member said SpaceX is led by someone who has “actively participated in the presidential campaign and made his point of view clear,” while another said that Musk “has flown around the country, “They're spewing political falsehoods, tweeting, attacking.” FEMA. ”
SpaceX sued the commission, accusing it of political bias.
