Elon Musk and his Division of Authorities Effectivity have attacked a number of authorities businesses, purporting to seek out waste and fraud. However these claims proceed to shortly collapse underneath impartial scrutiny, with “billions” in so-called financial savings turning out to be fraudulent.
On the identical time, the actual cuts that DOGE has put in place have harm atypical folks in the USA and around the globe. Cuts to businesses like the USA Company for Worldwide Improvement have decreased important funding for American farmers, and a number of contracts canceled by DOGE are undermining providers for army veterans.
Musk has repeatedly claimed these actions are saving taxpayers cash and lately wrote, “There are millions of minor savings that add up to billions of dollars cumulatively.”
However years earlier than he was gutting important providers and claiming to be in favor of saving tax {dollars}, Musk constructed his multi-billion-dollar empire on authorities handouts.
A Washington Submit examination of Musk’s enterprise affairs discovered that his corporations obtained over $38 billion in authorities funds, from loans to contracts to tax credit, through the years. The Musk corporations that benefited from this taxpayer financing embrace Tesla and SpaceX.
Musk has been on the federal government dole for over 20 years and had essential help at each the federal and state ranges. The truth is, as he was spending tens of millions to assist elect Trump within the 2024 election—crusading in opposition to authorities spending within the course of—Musk took in at the very least $6.3 billion from the federal government in that 12 months alone.
Each Tesla and SpaceX have been the topic of complaints about security, alleged discrimination, and different points throughout that point. Since Trump took workplace the federal authorities has curtailed oversight and investigations associated to the businesses.
But regardless of this historical past, the Trump-led Federal Aviation Administration lately handed out a contract to Starlink, one other Musk firm. Starlink shall be utilized in programs managing airline security and was given the contract simply weeks after Trump gutted the company’s funding in range hiring, whilst a scarcity of air site visitors controllers continues.
The contracts increase severe considerations about battle of curiosity for Musk, however Trump lately instructed Fox Information that the multibillionaire had been given a inexperienced mild to revenue from the federal government whilst he purportedly works for it.
Musk has portrayed himself as a self-made entrepreneur, however that isn’t true. He’s a beneficiary of presidency handouts on a scale vastly outweighing what the typical middle-class American receives. Empowered by Trump, Musk is undermining the security internet for these Individuals whereas championing insurance policies that may minimize advantages for folks with out the large fortune that he has entry to.
