Elon Musk’s Controversial Remarks on CFPB and Military Personnel
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, recently appointed as co-head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Donald Trump’s second administration, declared on the 27th (local time) that the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) should be abolished. Musk has been making bold statements, such as publicly criticizing bureaucrats and harshly denouncing the U.S. F-35 fighter jet.
Musk echoed criticism of CFPB on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by stating, “Abolish the CFPB. There are too many duplicative regulatory bodies.” Established during President Barack Obama’s era in 2010, the CFPB was created to protect consumers and regulate financial institutions. Though some Republicans have argued that the CFPB overly extends its regulatory reach and should be shut down, it has yet to be dismantled.
Concerns have been raised that Musk’s remarks on abolishing the CFPB could raise conflicts of interest. Political media outlet Politico reported that, “Musk’s comments come less than a week after the CFPB finalized rules expanding oversight of major tech companies providing payment and digital wallet apps,” suggesting that X may also be included in this oversight due to its pursuit of payment business.
Since being nominated as the co-head of the newly formed DOGE for federal restructuring and expenditure reduction, Musk has been more vocal about national issues. He faced controversy for publicly identifying what he considers unnecessary government positions. According to CNN, Musk recently shared posts on X containing the names and positions of four climate-related public officials, viewed millions of times.
Musk commented, “There are too many fake jobs,” on a post about taxpayer funding for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s “Director of Climate Resilience.” Following Musk’s post, the official involved closed her social media account. Musk further took aim at positions like the Chief Climate Officer of the Department of Energy’s loan office, Senior Advisor on Environmental Justice and Climate Change at the Department of Health and Human Services, and Senior Climate Advisor at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, all publicly criticized and mocked by him, and all of whom are women.
The issue lies in the pattern where Musk’s followers, who exceed 200 million, join him in attacking the individuals he targets. CNN reported, “Some federal officials fear their lives could be forever changed, including facing physical threats, due to Musk personally targeting bureaucrats.” Everett Kelley, Chairman of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), stated, “These tactics aim to instill fear and silence in federal employees.”
Musk also attacked Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified during Trump’s impeachment hearings, accusing him of “betraying” and stating he would “pay the price.” Vindman, in a media interview last month, criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for liking “narcissists” like Trump and Musk, prompting Musk to retaliate with accusations of treachery.
On the 25th, Musk criticized the U.S. F-35 fighter jet, stating, “The F-35 has become an aircraft that is expensive, complex, and capable of doing a little of everything but excels at nothing,” and disdainfully remarked, “There are still fools making manned fighter jets like the F-35.”