$6.3 billion in contracts: Musk faces probe after DOGE tenure
Democratic lawmakers plan to investigate whether government funds flowed to Musk's companies while he led the Department of Government Efficiency.
By Giulia Donovan ·
Elon Musk faces a new wave of scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers following their midterm victories, with the central conflict centering on billions of dollars in government contracts awarded to his companies during his time in the Trump administration.
According to the Democracy Defenders Fund, Musk received at least $6.3 billion in government contracts during the four months he led the Department of Government Efficiency. The organization reports that his companies have secured at least another $10 billion in contracts since his tenure ended.
Federal election filings analyzed by OpenSecrets show Musk donated more than $445 million to Republican candidates, political action committees, and outside groups. This total makes him the top donor in the midterms and one of the largest political donors in U.S. history. Of that amount, at least $225 million went specifically to Texas races.
Democratic lawmakers say they want to know if Musk used his influence to benefit his own businesses and whether taxpayer money was put at risk. Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia wrote on X that Musk must answer for his actions under oath. Walkinshaw described Musk as having waved a chainsaw on stage while firing public servants and then lying about the savings.
Musk’s foreign dealings are also drawing attention. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said he would include Musk’s links to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in his list of questions. Rep. Mike Levin of California pointed out that Musk restricted Ukraine’s use of Starlink satellite internet days after Trump eased sanctions on Russia. Levin questioned how Musk could disrupt an ally’s military operations while maintaining a line to the Kremlin.
Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer, noted that as a part-time special government employee, Musk was subject to federal laws prohibiting participation in official matters affecting his financial interests. Painter stated that if Musk touched anything impacting SpaceX, a major contractor for NASA and the Department of Defense, he would have committed a crime.
In Texas, Musk’s financial influence failed to secure Republican victories. He supported Ken Paxton’s Senate bid and Gov. Greg Abbott’s reelection, but both lost. Democrats captured every statewide office in the state. James Talarico, who defeated Paxton, said Musk is trying to buy Texas. Talarico’s victory speech noted that power belongs to the people, not billionaire mega-donors.
As results came in on Tuesday night, Musk wrote on X that his election-interfering space lasers did not work this time. SpaceX shares fell nearly 4% and Tesla dropped 3% on Wednesday, even as broader markets rose. SpaceX is exploring Texas sites for data centers, and a $16.8 billion semiconductor fabrication project in the state was announced in August.
