Verbal Rally Reignited Between Musk & Warren

Elon Musk has rekindled a political clash with Senator Elizabeth Warren, accusing her of advocating for the interests of Sam Bankman-Fried's (SBF) parents.

This exchange unfolded after Warren criticised Musk's involvement in President-elect Donald Trump's transition team.

Musk responded by suggesting that Warren's letter questioning his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E) was influenced by SBF's parents, heightening the ongoing tensions between them.

Warren Critiques Musk's Role in Shaping Trump's Policies

Warren recently wrote a letter urging President-elect Trump to establish ethical guidelines regarding Musk's role in his transition team.

Warren expressed concerns about Musk's growing influence, particularly his leadership in D.O.G.E, and highlighted the potential conflicts of interest stemming from Musk's extensive business holdings, including Tesla and SpaceX.

She pointed out that Musk’s companies have secured billions in government contracts and often find themselves in conflict with federal agencies.

Warren called for clarity on whether Musk would recuse himself from decisions related to his businesses and what safeguards would be implemented to prevent ethical violations.

Warren added:

“Mr. Musk is no ordinary citizen, Musk's substantial private interests present a massive conflict of interest with the role he has taken on as your 'unofficial co-president. Currently, the American public has no way of knowing whether the advice that he is whispering to you in secret is good for the country, or merely good for his own bottom line.”

These developments come amidst ongoing scrutiny by the US SEC over Musk's $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, with an extended deadline for compliance and the possibility of a Wells Submission if issues remain unresolved.

Musk Fights Back, Brings Up SBF's Parents

Musk has responded to Warren’s accusations by suggesting that SBF's parents influenced her letter, framing the criticisms as politically driven and part of a broader agenda.

Musk's remarks have intensified the ongoing controversy, especially as SBF's legal challenges and political connections continue to dominate public debate.

His allegations further complicate the growing feud between him and Warren, who has previously criticised Musk on issues ranging from Tesla's labour practices to investigations into Neuralink.

Musk commented:

“The person actually writing these things from Pocahontas are SBF's parents btw.”

Warren has called on Trump to ensure Musk complies with stringent ethics agreements regarding his leadership role in the DOGE initiative.

His latest post continued to make fun of Warren.

What is D.O.G.E's Role in the Trump Administration?

Musk has firmly rejected accusations of ethical misconduct, defending his involvement in Trump's transition team by asserting that his leadership is motivated by national interests, not personal gain.

Musk recently stated that D.O.G.E could be pivotal in addressing US inflation by curbing government overspending, emphasizing that reducing unnecessary federal expenditures could help stabilise prices.

President-elect Trump also supported Musk, dismissing any concerns about conflicts of interest and reaffirming that Musk's work with D.O.G.E aligns with efforts to eliminate government waste.

Despite Warren's criticisms, Trump expressed confidence in Musk's role, downplaying any potential ethical conflicts.

Trump expressed to Time magazine when asked if it is a conflict of interest by giving Musk the power to oversee the agencies that regulate his companies:

“I don't think so. Look, we have a country that is bloated with rules, regulations and with, frankly, people that are unnecessary to do. We are going to need a lot of people in a lot of other jobs. We're looking to get people into private sector jobs where they can do better and be more productive. We're going to see what happens. We have some interesting months coming up, at the beginning. We're going to see what happens. But this country is bloated.”

He added:

“I think that Elon puts the country long before his company. I mean, he's in a lot of companies, but he really is, and I've seen it. He considers this to be his most important project, and he wanted to do it. And, you know, I think, I think he's one of the very few people that would have the credibility to do it, but he puts the country before, and I've seen it, before he puts his company.”