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Warren Demands Conflict-of-Interest Rules for Musk, DOGE Co-Chair, After $250M Trump Campaign Donation

Dec 17, 2024, 07:41 PM

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has called on President-elect Donald Trump to implement strict conflict-of-interest rules for Elon Musk, who has been appointed co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly created advisory body that is not a government agency. In a letter to Trump, Warren expressed concerns over Musk's substantial private interests, which she argued could pose a "massive conflict of interest" in his advisory role. Musk, the world's richest man, is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, among other companies, many of which have significant dealings with the federal government. Warren noted Musk's $250 million campaign donation to Trump and described him as an "unofficial co-president," raising concerns about his influence. She urged Trump to ensure that Musk adheres to the same ethical standards as other transition team members to prevent potential corruption. The Trump team dismissed Warren's concerns, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt referring to Warren as "Pocahontas" and asserting that the transition team operates under the highest ethical standards. Leavitt also criticized Warren's societal impact as "1/1024th of Elon Musk's." Musk's financial contributions to Trump's campaign and his close relationship with the president-elect have further fueled scrutiny. Warren's letter also questioned whether Musk would recuse himself from matters involving his businesses, such as Tesla and SpaceX, to avoid conflicts of interest. Additionally, Warren highlighted Musk's net worth increase following the election as an example of potential ethical concerns.