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3471During a recent appearance on Fox News’ The Five, Elon Musk was pressed on live television about a growing criticism of his short but impactful tenure in government.
Appointed as a “special government employee” under President Donald Trump, Musk has spent the last few months running the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he’s cut thousands of federal jobs and slashed agency budgets, some of which happen to be investigating his own companies.
Musk Defends DOGE Cuts Amid Conflict Concerns
Fox News host Jessica Tarlov was relentless, asking Musk directly: “You’ve been making cuts to a lot of the agencies that have open investigations and regulatory battles with your companies. At the same time, you continue to get billions in government contracts. Tesla gets billions in subsidies. How do you explain that to the American people?”
Musk responded by defending DOGE’s actions as transparent and open to public scrutiny. “Everything that DOGE does is an open book,” he said. “I think we’re the most transparent organization in government ever. Every single DOGE action is listed on the website, also listed on the X handle.”
However, critics noted that Musk didn’t actually address the substance of Tarlov’s question—how his companies can continue to receive billions in government contracts while DOGE makes cuts to the very agencies investigating them.
His answer focused on transparency but failed to explain the apparent conflict of interest, raising further questions about how open the process really is.
Democrats Slam Musk’s Government Paydays While Cutting Oversight
Musk’s defense comes as congressional Democrats continue raising alarms about his dual role as a top federal decision-maker and a major government contractor.
As I wrote in February for Benzinga, Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) called out Musk’s massive earnings from government contracts, revealing that SpaceX alone pulls in around $8 million a day from taxpayer funds.
“You know what Elon Musk doesn’t seem to be looking into? His own contracts. We’re not looking into Elon Musk’s $8 million a day. This subcommittee, chaired by Marjorie Taylor Greene and the House Republicans, is looking into your grandmother’s $65 a day.”
Casar also pointed to Musk’s removal of inspectors general and slashing of watchdog agencies, accusing him and Trump of gutting the very oversight mechanisms that would normally monitor conflicts of interest.
Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX, confirmed in late 2024 that the company holds $22 billion in federal contracts. Critics argue that Musk’s control over DOGE, while his companies benefit from taxpayer money, creates a significant ethical dilemma.
Contract Scrutiny and Ethical Questions Intensify
“If you see any contract where it was awarded to SpaceX and it wasn’t by far the best value for money for the taxpayer, let me know,” he said at a press conference in the Oval Office.
To make matters more controversial, the State Department quietly altered a procurement forecast in March, replacing a $400 million contract for “Armored Tesla (Production Units)” with a generic listing for “Armored Electric Vehicles,” removing Tesla’s name altogether.
Musk denied any involvement, saying on X that he hadn’t been informed of such a deal.
Trump Signals Musk’s Time in Government May Be Ending
Despite the praise Musk has received from Trump, including being described as “a very talented guy,” the president hinted that Musk’s role in government might be short-lived.
“He’s got a big company to run, and so at some point he’s going to be going back,” Trump said. Musk’s special status is limited to 130 days, which ends in May.
Musk himself recently said in a Fox News interview that 130 days would be enough to accomplish DOGE’s primary goal: reducing the federal deficit by $1 trillion. That’s down from his initial $2 trillion target.
Public Opinion Split as Attacks on Tesla Increase
Still, controversy follows. Many Democrats have accused Musk of using DOGE to shield himself from oversight while his companies benefit from federal money.
Tesla and SpaceX, both of which Musk runs, are major federal contractors. A recent Quinnipiac poll showed 54% of voters believe Musk and DOGE are hurting the country.
Meanwhile, violence targeting Tesla facilities has escalated. Musk called it “domestic terrorism,” citing arson, shootings, and vandalism of Tesla dealerships.
“We have to go after the people that are organizing and paying for these attacks,” he said. Trump has floated the idea of domestic terrorism charges against the perpetrators.
Whether DOGE will continue after Musk’s expected departure remains unclear. Trump said some agency heads may adopt DOGE-style reforms independently.
“They’ve learned a lot and they’re dealing with the DOGE people,” he said. “There’ll be a point at which the secretaries will be able to do this work … with a scalpel.”
Until then, Musk remains a polarizing force in Washington—slashing budgets, defending his companies, and, according to critics, testing the limits of conflict of interest in real time.
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