Elon Musk, known for pushing to cut jobs and government spending to improve efficiency, has received a massive amount of taxpayer money, according to a report from the Washington Post.
Musk, who is the world’s richest person, has become one of the top beneficiaries of government funds. The report shows that over the years, he has received over $38 billion in government contracts, loans, subsidies, and tax credits.
The payments started over 20 years ago when Musk, leading the struggling Tesla, received an infusion of cash from the Energy Department. The same department is now facing cuts and layoffs as part of Musk’s campaign to make the government more efficient.
The Washington Post spoke to government insiders to confirm these findings. They reported that nearly two-thirds of the money came in the last five years. In 2024 alone, Musk’s companies received at least $6.3 billion in government funds. This included money for a Tesla factory and contracts with NASA for SpaceX’s work on the moon program.
The Post also noted that this total likely doesn’t include all government payments. It only counts the ones that are publicly known, leaving out classified contracts for defense and intelligence work. Additionally, there are many local grants, reimbursements, and tax credits that didn’t have specific amounts disclosed.
The report also found that 52 contracts with seven government agencies are set to pay Musk’s companies another $111.8 billion in the coming years. These agencies have also come under scrutiny as part of Musk’s push for government efficiency.
Although Musk isn’t a government employee, he has played a key role in President Trump’s campaign and is now part of his advisory team. He also leads DOGE, which he claims will cut trillions in government waste. However, his involvement with Trump’s administration has raised concerns about conflicts of interest.
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a professor at Yale School of Management, pointed out that no other major tech company, like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, or Meta, has been as reliant on federal funding as Musk’s companies.
