Elon Musk Has Received $38 Billion in Government Funds While Leading Federal Spending Cuts, Report Finds

As Elon Musk pushes mass layoffs and deep budget cuts through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new Washington Post investigation reveals that Musk’s companies have received at least $38 billion in taxpayer money—making him one of the largest beneficiaries of federal contracts, subsidies, and loans.

Key Findings From the Report

• Musk’s government funding began over 20 years ago, including a low-interest loan from the Energy Department to Tesla—an agency now facing mass layoffs under DOGE oversight.
• Nearly two-thirds of the total funds were awarded in the past five years, with $6.3 billion allocated in 2023 alone for projects like:
  • Building a Tesla factory
  • NASA contracts for SpaceX’s moon program
• 52 active government contracts across seven agencies are set to pay another $111.8 billion in coming years—all agencies now being scrutinized by DOGE.

Conflicts of Interest and Political Ties

• Musk, despite not holding an official government salary, is a key adviser to President Donald Trump and played a major financial role in Trump’s re-election campaign.
• Experts warn that Musk’s deep financial ties to federal funding raise serious conflict-of-interest concerns, with Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld noting that other tech giants—Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta—have not relied as heavily on taxpayer money.

What’s Next?

With Musk leading federal spending cuts while benefiting from public funds, lawmakers and watchdog groups could intensify scrutiny over DOGE’s role in government restructuring. Meanwhile, the total amount Musk’s businesses have received may be even higher, as the Post notes that classified defense and intelligence contracts remain undisclosed.