Washington: U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on Donald Trump’s transition team to hold Elon Musk to the same ethics standards as other members, spotlighting the powerful influence of the billionaire entrepreneur on the incoming administration.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as well as owner of social media platform X, has forged a close relationship with Trump following his endorsement in July. Musk, who reportedly spent over $250 million supporting Trump’s election campaign, holds extensive business interests, including cryptocurrency ventures.
“Mr. Musk’s substantial private interests present a massive conflict of interest with the role he has taken on as your ‘unofficial co-president,’” Warren wrote in a letter made public by her office. She further cautioned, “Currently, the American public has no way of knowing whether the advice that he is whispering to you in secret is good for the country—or merely good for his own bottom line.”
Musk is co-chair of the newly created Trump advisory body, the “Department of Government Efficiency,” which is not part of the U.S. government. Warren pointed out that, although Musk is not a government employee, his significant conflicts of interest necessitate adherence to similar ethical standards.
A spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, Karoline Leavitt, defended Trump’s actions, stating, “President Trump removed himself from his multi-billion-dollar real estate empire to run for office and forewent his government salary, becoming the first President to actually lose net worth while serving in the White House.”
Addressing concerns about Musk’s potential conflicts of interest, Trump told Time magazine, “I think that Elon puts the country long before his company.”
Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, highlighted the uniqueness of Musk’s situation. Unlike industrialists enlisted by past administrations, Musk’s investments are in emerging industries that could be significantly impacted by Trump-appointed regulators, potentially benefiting Musk’s companies directly.
Trump’s transition team implemented an ethics pledge in November, committing members to avoid “both actual and apparent conflicts of interest”. The pledge also prohibits participation in any matter that could directly conflict with a member’s financial interests or those of associated organizations.
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Musk’s task force, aiming for a sweeping overhaul of government operations, has drawn scrutiny. Among other proposals, the Trump transition team has reportedly pushed for the removal of a car-crash reporting requirement opposed by Tesla, Reuters reported last week.
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Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics, expressed alarm at Musk’s influence. “Taxpayers should lament their money going to serve Musk’s interests instead of the interests of the American people,” he said. Shaub, who resigned in July 2017 after clashes with Trump’s administration, warned that Musk’s role could compromise national security and public safety.
