FormerPresidentDonaldTrump’splantohaveElonMuskleadagovernmentefficiencycommissionwouldvaulttheworld’srichestmantoanunprecedentedrole:Americanoligarch,News.azreportsciting
“Thisislikeredlightsblaring,allkindsofconflictsofinterest,”saidDanielleBrian,presidentoftheProjectonGovernmentOversight.
Beyondthepossiblecompetinginterests,Musk’spotentialforayintogovernmentwouldrepresentastrikingdevelopmentforthetechtitan,whowouldessentiallyhavearoleatthehighestlevelsofbusiness,manufacturing,mediaandWashington.
Atthesametime,handingMuskapositioninhispotentialadministrationwouldfitneatlyintoTrump’sapproachtogovernment.TheformerpresidenttappedbillionairesWilburRossandStevenMnuchintoserveinhisCabinet,thoughtheyhadfarlowerpublicpersonasasMusk—andlesstogaindirectlyfromtheirinvolvement.
“Muskisthelatestexampleofatotallygearheaded,engineering-brained,SiliconValleyguywholooksatgovernmentandsays‘Howhardcanitbe?LetmeatitandIcansolveitforyou,’”saidPeterLeyden,founderofthestrategicforesightfirmReinventFuturesandaformermanagingeditoratWired.“There’sbeenmanyofthesecharactersbeforeandhe’sjustthelatest.”
MuskfirmlyplantinghimselfintopoliticsisnotsurprisingtothosewhohavewatchedhimmovefromelectriccarinnovatortospaceentrepreneurtoownerofX(andonlinetrollofliberals).ButtechexpertssayWashingtonmaybetrickyterrainforaSiliconValleybusinesspersonunaccustomedtothecomplexitiesoffederalbureaucracy.
“He’salwaysbeenacontrarian,”saidWillRinehart,aseniorfellowattheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute.“He’sworkedonelectriccarswhennoonecaresaboutelectriccars.He’sworkedonspacewhennoonecaredaboutspace.”
“Thathaspushedhimintothisspacewherebeingacontrarianhasthisvalueforme.”
MuskhasdescribedhimselfinthepastasamoderatebutshiftedhisallegiancetoTrump,formallyendorsinghimaftertheattemptedassassinationinJuly.
“IlookforwardtoservingAmericaiftheopportunityarises,”MuskwroteonX,“Nopay,notitle,norecognitionisneeded.”
LikeTrump,Muskhasexpressedhostilitytowardgovernmentoversight—particularlyinCalifornia.
Thebillionairehadlong-runningfeudswiththestate’sdeep-bluegovernmentandhasoftentussledwiththestate’spowerfullaborinterests.Earlyinthepandemic,hedefiedlocalpublichealthordersandcontinuedmanufacturingcarsatTesla’sFremontplantinspiteofthethreatofCovid-19—latersuingtoblockwhathecalled“fascist”restrictionsandthreateningtomovetheheadquartersoutofstate.
Heendedupmovingsomecompany’soperationstoTexaslaterthatyear,butcontinuedtogrowTesla’sfootprintinCalifornia.Hemadesimilarthreatsofwithdrawalearlierthisyearwhen,outragedovernewprotectionsforLGBTQ+youth,hevowedtomoveXandSpaceXtotheLoneStarState.Lastmonth,heannouncedthesocialmediaplatformwouldshutteritsofficesindowntownSanFrancisco,relocatingemployeestonearbyPaloAltoandSanJose.
MuskhasalsofacedlegalscrutinyforhislaborpracticesatbothTeslaandX.ACaliforniajudgefoundthatheandotherTeslaexecutivesviolatedlaborlawsin2017and2018bysabotagingattemptstoorganizeworkers.HundredsofformerTwitteremployeessuedhimafterhis$44billionacquisitionofthesocialmediaplatformin2022,accusinghimoffailingtopayseverance.
LorenaGonzalez,headoftheCaliforniaLaborFederation,foryearshastradedbarbswiththebillionaire.ShenotedthatstatelawmakersoftenviewedMuskasapositiveforthestate—givingTeslamillionsinsubsidiesandtoutingitasamarqueeCaliforniacompany.
“Hisproductwasoftenkindoflabeledasenviro,”shesaid.“Buttherewasnothingabouthimthatsuggestedhewasaprogressiveorliberal.”
Muskdidnotrespondtoarequestforcomment.
Musk’spushintonationalpoliticsgrewwithhis2022purchaseofTwitter,whichhelaterrenamedX.Heimmediatelyoversawmasslayoffsandimplementedanewvisionpromotingfreespeech—reformsthatbroughtpartisancriticismhewasenablingmisinformationandharassmentontheplatform.UnderMusk’sleadership,X’svaluationhasplummetedandinvestorslostover$24billion.
AttheRebootconferenceThursday,hostedbytheright-leaningtechthinktankFoundationforAmericanInnovation,attendeeswerelargelyindifferentorinattentivetoMusk’saudaciouspledgetoleadTrump’scommission.
PatrickBlumenthal,founderoftheAnomalyventurecapitalfund,suggestedthatgivenitsapparentlackofrelationtoanyofMusk’stechprojectsitreflectedacertainlevelofdilettantismnotuncommoninthetechworld.
“Techandpolitics,tosomeextent,Ithinkareincompatible,”Blumenthalsaid.“Butyouhaveanindustryfullofintelligentpeople,soit’sinevitablethatsomeofthemwillwanttoseeifthatintellectworksinanotherarena.”
