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Musk Addresses Worries Surrounding Possible Conflicts of Interest


“My businesses are struggling due to my role in the government,” stated the CEO of Tesla.

Elon Musk, a White House advisor, dismissed worries about possible conflicts of interest, asserting that the intense scrutiny surrounding his government role adversely affects his companies.

During the March 28 broadcast of “Special Report,” Fox News host Bret Baier highlighted Musk’s leadership in SpaceX and Starlink, both of which have contracts with the federal government. Baier inquired if Musk could assure the public that “there’s not a conflict of interest in how you’re operating or the contracts you’re receiving from the government.”

Musk responded by saying that “there’s not an action I can take that doesn’t undergo scrutiny from multiple angles.” He continued, noting that his government position limits his ability to advocate for “favorable terms for my companies that I would likely obtain.”

Among those questioning Musk’s involvement with the administration are Congressional Democrats, including Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

“Appointing Mr. Musk to influence billions in government contracts and regulatory decisions without a strict conflict of interest agreement is an invitation for unprecedented corruption,” Warren remarked in a letter to President Donald Trump dated December 16.
Recently, Schiff questioned whether Musk might have breached a criminal conflict of interest law. In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles dated February 10, Schiff stated: “Unless you or another senior White House official, in consultation with the Office of Government Ethics, issued a written waiver before Mr. Musk’s appointment as a special government employee, he may have violated the federal criminal conflict of interest statute by engaging in activities otherwise prohibited by law.”

In February, Schiff, Warren, five other senators, and House Judiciary Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) sent Musk a letter requesting him to publicly share his financial disclosure documents.

They stated that, without additional information, “the American public lacks a comprehensive understanding of your conflicts of interest, how those conflicts may shape your agenda in the Trump Administration, or the ways in which your financial interests could clash with the public good.”

Musk’s interview took place amid numerous lawsuits against his Department of Government Efficiency, concerns regarding his business interests, and a series of law enforcement actions due to incidents at Tesla facilities. He serves as CEO of Tesla, which designs and manufactures electric vehicles.

On March 21, the FBI issued a public service announcement about “nationwide incidents targeting Tesla electric vehicles (EV), dealerships, storage facilities, and charging stations.”

The announcement indicated that incidents involving Tesla EVs “have included arson, gunfire, and vandalism, with graffiti expressing grievances against individuals perceived as racists, fascists, or political adversaries.”

Musk informed Baier on March 28: “My companies are enduring hardships due to my government position.”

Trump stated on March 26 that Musk “has never requested a business favor from me. I’m somewhat surprised by it. I might do it, or I might not. I act in accordance with what is just, and he would expect that of me.” In February, Trump expressed that he would not “allow any conflicts of interest” and mentioned that “regarding anything that relates to space, we will not allow Elon to have a role in that.”

Zachary Stieber and Jacob Burg contributed to this report.



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