‘An invitation for corruption’: A Democratic senator warns Trump to watch out for Elon Musk

“Ethics” are a major consideration for everyone else but Donald Trump and his closest allies.

In a letter to the president-elect, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote that Trump ally Elon Musk should be subjected to the same rigorous ethics requirements demanded of elected officials, and that left unchecked, the billionaire’s private interests could serve as a “invitation for corruption.”

Warren cites Musk’s “position to influence billions of dollars of government contracts and regulatory enforcement” as cause for concern. The Space X CEO has already burned through billions of dollars worth of government money in his rocket exploits, and as the chair of the to-be-created Department of Government Efficiency, he may find his access to federal funds to be even more unfettered. Warren urges that guardrails be placed on the “world’s richest man” so as to not create an administration that will “line the pockets of the wealthiest Americans.”

Despite not yet holding an official position in the government, Musk’s political relationships have lined his pockets multiple times over. After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Musk saw his net worth soar to nearly half a trillion dollars. Musk used his wealth and influence to curry favor with the president-elect while he was still on the campaign trail, donating over a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump’s cause. Now Musk is in deep with the president-elect so much so that he is a frequent guest at Mar a Lago, and is reportedly sitting in on Trump’s sensitive calls with world leaders including Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Elizabeth Warren isn’t the only person who is alarmed by Musk’s newfound sway in government. Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, is fearful that Musk’s political clout will allow him to court funding away from NASA in order to fuel his own personal rocket ventures with Space X. “The concern at NASA is that Elon Musk is standing there, waiting,” said Biggs in an interview with Huffpost.

Musk’s ethical decisions, or lack thereof, have faced scrutiny before. Space X is currently embroiled in a legal battle against the National Labor Relations Board, which is currently prosecuting Musk for allegedly firing Space X employees who disagreed with him. Musk is also in hot water with the SEC, and the financial organization is currently issuing Musk a hefty fine for his failure to declare the scope of his Twitter holdings before purchasing the company.

According to law professor Kathleen Clark, Musk’s ethics are the least of the Trump administration’s concerns. She argues that Trump’s transition team is “intentionally blurring the line between what’s inside and outside of government so that Musk and Ramaswamy will be able to have a great deal of influence.” As Clark puts it, Musk and his DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy are “cosplaying government officials,” and that their perceived status as outside advisors to the government will allow them to skirt ethics requirements legal demanded of government workers.

While Trump’s transition team may try to keep Musk’s position intentionally nebulous, Senator Warren’s letter demands absolutes. Otherwise, she warns, Musk will be capable of “corruption on a scale not seen in our lifetimes.” While Warren’s demands are clear, the question of whether or not Trump and transition team will heed them is another matter entirely.