Robert Reich - Some people would like to believe that Elon Musk is no longer a danger to democracy because his polls are in the basement and he’s apparently on his way out of Trump’s White House.
They’re wrong. Musk still has Trump’s ear, and even after he leaves he’ll be back in the White House at least once a week. More troubling, Musk continues to expand his power in ways that pose growing threats to democracy in America and around the world.
Today I’d like to discuss these major dangers and get your input about which you believe is the most dangerous and requires most constraint.
1. His fleet of satellites. More than 7,000 of them now surround Earth like a cloud of gnats, providing space-based internet service to the ground. No other private corporation or nation comes close. And almost every week, Musk is adding to his fleet — flinging dozens more satellites into the sky. This gives him not only a near monopoly on space satellites and internet communication, but also unrivaled geopolitical power over every nation and military in the world, including the United States.
2. His data about every American. Musk and his DOGE team have gained sweeping access to databases that store personal information about tens of millions of Americans — not just your name, home address, and Social Security number, but also medical diagnoses and treatment, notes from therapy sessions, financial history, and detailed income information. And Musk is gaining more data almost every day, along with increasing capacity to analyze it. Armed with this, he could potentially control just about anyone by threatening their jobs, families, and reputations.
3. His capacity to bankroll elections. With his virtually unlimited bank account, Musk can potentially get anyone elected (or prevent the election of anyone he opposes). Although his donations didn’t help — and probably hurt — Brad Schimel in the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Republican lawmakers are reportedly terrified over the prospect of facing primary challengers funded by Musk if they oppose Trump’s agenda. Musk has also been rewarding members of Congress supporting the impeachment of judges who have ruled against parts of Trump’s agenda. And, of course, his money will be a major force in the 2026 midterms.
4. His use of X to support right-wing causes and to harass and intimidate. Because he owns the platform and can manipulate its algorithm, Musk’s posts are now received by over 215 million followers around the world. Through them, he’s supporting right-wing movements, encouraging harassment of people he opposes, and even contributing to threats of violence toward judges who have ruled against Trump. Posts targeting judges’ family members have been viewed more than 200 million times. Pizzas are being sent anonymously to the homes of judges and their relatives, which authorities view as a we-know-where-you-live warning.
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