As Elon Musk aggressively slashes government jobs and programs under the banner of efficiency, a shocking new report has uncovered how much taxpayer money is actually going to him.
According to The Washington Post, Musk is one of the largest recipients of public funds, having received $38 billion in government contracts, subsidies, and tax credits.
The payments started more than two decades ago, with Musk securing a low-interest loan from the Energy Department for Tesla, which was then struggling. Ironically, that same department is now facing mass layoffs and budget cuts under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk’s Expanding Fortune from Public Contracts
Nearly two-thirds of Musk’s government earnings have come in the past five years, with at least $6.3 billion funneled to his companies in 2024 alone. The money includes funds to build a Tesla factory and lucrative NASA contracts for SpaceX’s moon missions.
The Washington Post noted that the real amount could be even higher, as classified defense and intelligence contracts remain undisclosed. The report also uncovered nearly a dozen local grants and tax credits with undisclosed amounts.
Additionally, 52 contracts spanning seven government agencies are set to pay another $111.8 billion in the coming years—all agencies now under DOGE’s scrutiny.
Conflicts of Interest and Political Ties
Musk is not a government employee, but his deep financial ties to federal funding and his role as a top advisor in the Trump administration have raised serious concerns.
He was a key financial backer of Trump’s election campaign and now wields significant influence as the head of DOGE, where he claims to be cutting “trillions” in government waste.
“Not every entrepreneur at this scale has been this dependent on federal money—certainly not Nvidia, not Microsoft, nor Amazon, nor Meta,” said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a professor at the Yale School of Management.
As Musk continues to push aggressive budget cuts, critics are questioning whether his real goal is efficiency—or simply shifting government money into his own hands.
Last modified: February 27, 2025
