Elon Musk Criticizes Bureaucratic Wealth Accumulation at Taxpayer Expense

In a discussion with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on February 11, 2025, Elon Musk called for investigations into the wealth accumulation of federal bureaucrats, including Samantha Power, claiming many have become wealthy while drawing taxpayer-funded salaries. Musk highlighted the discrepancy, saying, “Maybe they’re very good at investing, in which case we should take their investment advice… But mysteriously, they get wealthy. We don’t know why.”

Musk pointed to the lack of transparency in federal spending, emphasizing issues such as missing payment categorization codes and inefficiencies in the “Do Not Pay” list. He stressed the importance of implementing basic controls, stating, “Your tax dollars need to be spent wisely on the things that matter to the people.”

President Trump echoed Musk’s concerns, asking him to elaborate on “the crazy numbers” his team had found, including a woman who allegedly “walked away with about $30 million.” Musk responded, criticizing the bureaucracy’s lack of accountability and reaffirming the need for smarter, more transparent spending. “Let’s look at each of these expenditures and say, ‘Is this actually in the best interest of the people?'” Musk concluded.