Mike Major ▪ 2/20/2025
Investigating the Musk Doctrine:
How the World’s Richest Person Manipulated the Perfect Dummy to Seize Power
During the 2024 election, Elon Musk donated at least $277 million to Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign—the largest individual political contribution in U.S. history. Musk’s support raised eyebrows. What has transpired since Trump’s return to the White House has been truly alarming.
To his credit, Elon Musk hasn’t just stumbled into a position of unprecedented political influence—he engineered it. His strategy: Find a Pliable Dummy, Exploit Him, and Seize Control. Donald Trump, known for prioritizing personal loyalty over competence, was all too easy for Musk to bait and ultimately manipulate. He truly is Elon’s perfect puppet.
Trump craves validation from the rich, famous, and powerful → Musk provided it through financial backing and public praise.
Trump has almost no understanding of policy → Making it easy for Musk to dictate policies that favor his own interests directly.
Trump rewards those who back him financially → Musk didn’t just fund Trump’s campaign; he bought a seat at the table and perpetrated history’s richest—and most obvious/public—“pay for play” scheme.
Immediately upon taking office, Trump appointed Musk to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a department that, as it turns out, was Musk’s own idea.
I imagine that next year Musk will celebrate January 20th with the same unbridled excitement and anticipation that children feel on Christmas morning. It’s the day he purchased a U.S. President, unprecedented influence, and power for next-to-nothing… at least for him. In December of 2024, Musk’s net worth peaked at an astronomical $486 billion. What that means is that his donations to Donald Trump, totaling $277 million, amounted to 0.00057% of his wealth. Trump, in his naivety, thought he had gained a like-minded friend and aly, when in reality Musk had gone to the politician puppet store, sat the little man on his lap, and played with him like an old Charlie McCarthy doll. He then bought him and walked out of the store, his purchase stuffed in his bag, silent until Master Elon had use for it again.
Musk has used the power granted by a department he initially proposed creating to systematically target, dismantle, or neutralize agencies that were investigating his businesses prior to his appointment.
This doesn’t just represent a conflict of interest. It’s a case study in how a billionaire can buy political influence, rewrite the rules to serve his own interests, and operate with little to no oversight—all while shaping public opinion through a social media empire designed to manufacture outrage and control outcomes. What it will become is a blueprint.
Musk's Influence and the Genesis of DOGE
In July 2024, reports surfaced indicating that Elon Musk planned to donate approximately $45 million per month to America PAC, a super political action committee he had established to support Donald Trump’s re-election efforts. At the time, Musk refuted these claims, asserting that while he did intend to contribute to America PAC, the total amount would be significantly less than was being reported—one of many mistruths to come.
In August 2024, meeting Trump on the campaign trail, Musk proposed an initiative aimed at government reform, what he called: a “government efficiency commission” designed to eliminate wasteful spending and streamline federal operations. Following private discussions, Trump embraced the idea, signaling his intention to implement the proposal should he win re-election.
Musk immediately ramped up financial support for the campaign. By the time of Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, Musk had donated at least $277 million to Trump’s campaign, and nearly $300 million cumulatively to Republican candidates.
Not surprisingly, Trump’s first executive action as the 47th President of the United States, on the day of his inauguration, was to sign an executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—with Musk appointed to lead the agency. This move effectively granted Musk direct influence over federal regulatory processes, including those scrutinizing his own ventures and business practices.
In addition to the creation of DOGE, Trump also signed executive orders withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and declaring a national energy emergency. However, these actions stood in contrast to existing energy market projections. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) had forecasted only a modest 2% increase in residential electricity prices for 2025—the smallest annual rise since 2020—while also anticipating a 34% growth in solar energy generation, signaling a continued expansion of renewable energy sources.
DOGE’s Targets: Who Musk Has Attacked
Since its establishment, DOGE has been widely viewed as a strategic move to consolidate power, restructure federal oversight, and eliminate any regulatory obstacles to Musk’s empire.
Predictably, under his leadership, DOGE has gone after federal agencies that were actively investigating his companies before his appointment, including:
The Department of Labor (DOL): Prior to DOGE's establishment, the DOL's Inspector General was actively conducting 17 investigations into labor practices at Tesla and SpaceX, focusing on allegations of unfair labor practices, safety violations, and discriminatory work environments. Following Musk's DOGE ascendancy, the Inspector General, Larry Turner was dismissed, and the department's enforcement funding experienced substantial reductions—a 23% cut to the DOL’s overall funding compared to the previous fiscal year. Turner, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, had been overseeing more than $75 billion in annual federal funding for essential programs, including unemployment insurance and worker safety. These actions have effectively halted ongoing investigations, raising concerns about the protection of workers' rights within Musk's companies.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): The SEC had previously filed a lawsuit against Musk, alleging that he failed to disclose his acquisition of Twitter stock in a timely manner, which purportedly allowed him to purchase shares at deflated prices, causing significant economic harm to the stock’s investors. With DOGE's intervention, there is mounting pressure on the SEC to abandon cases related to Musk. Additionally, Trump’s Department of Justice is reportedly considering dismissing all SEC cases involving Musk, leading to significant fundamental concerns about the impartiality and effectiveness of financial market oversight.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): The FAA was engaged in reviewing SpaceX's safety protocols, particularly after incidents during test flights—including midair explosions in both April and November of 2023. However, subsequent to DOGE's formation, the FAA Administrator resigned, reportedly due to pressure from Musk. This leadership vacuum, coupled with DOGE's influence, has led to a relaxation of regulatory scrutiny over SpaceX's operations, potentially compromising safety standards in aerospace activities and freeing up Musk’s company to operate as it pleases.
USAID: USAID had initiated an investigation into its collaboration with Starlink, focusing on the provision of satellite terminals to Ukraine. Following DOGE's intervention, USAID has faced significant budget cuts and dismantling that has effectively undermined its capacity to oversee and evaluate Musk's business engagements. This diminishment of oversight raises questions about the accountability of public-private partnerships in international aid.
This is not regulatory reform. It’s Musk eliminating checks and balances on his power and manipulating the system for personal gain… with zero regard for the public good or eliminating inefficiencies.
Musk’s Gains
That’s right, we can roughly estimate Elon Musk’s financial gains from dismantling federal agencies investigating his businesses by looking at:
How much these investigations would have likely cost Musk in penalties, legal fees, settlements, and stock losses.
How government contracts and reduced oversight might benefit his companies financially
Step 1: Estimating Avoided Costs (Fines, Lawsuits, Penalties, and Stock Losses)
Several agencies were actively investigating Musk’s companies before DOGE began cutting their funding and firing key officials. If these investigations were to continue, they could have resulted in massive financial penalties, legal costs, and significant personal financial losses for Musk.
Total Potential Avoided Costs: $3+ billion, loss of the ability to continue operations, and tens of billions in stock losses.
These are conservative estimates based on previous fines imposed on major corporations for similar infractions.
As an example of how much stock prices can affect Elon Musk’s personal wealth: In December of 2024, Musk was worth $486 billion. Today, just a couple months later, Musk’s net worth is estimated at nearly $100 billion less, at $393 billion. This is due to drops in Tesla’s stock prices, where the vast bulk of Musk’s wealth lives.
Step 2: Estimating Increased Financial Gains (Government Contracts & Market Expansion)
By removing regulatory oversight, Musk is also positioning his companies for even greater profits by:
Expanding Government Contracts
SpaceX and Starlink are increasing defense contracts under the Trump administration, with DOGE reducing scrutiny over these deals.
Projected new government contracts: $3B - $5B over the next 5 years.
Tesla Avoiding Regulatory Costs
DOGE is reducing environmental & labor regulations that could have slowed Tesla’s expansion.
Estimated savings in regulatory compliance: $1B - $2B.
Neuralink & AI Expansion
With FDA & USDA oversight weakening, Neuralink can accelerate clinical trials and potentially increase its valuation by billions.
Projected valuation increase: $2B+.
Final Financial Estimate:
Combining avoided penalties and lawsuits with expanded financial opportunities, Musk stands to gain between $6 billion and $12 billion in the next 5 years, due to DOGE dismantling federal oversight. Additionally, by eliminating regulatory scrutiny, he shields himself from potential stock price declines—preventing losses that could total tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars.
However, this number will likely be much higher if Musk continues using his government influence to divert funding toward his businesses or further deregulate industries that impact Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink.
Unprecedented Potential Gains
Because DOGE is operating without historical precedent, and because Musk controls both regulatory oversight and public discourse through X, the true scale of his potential financial and political gains is almost impossible to quantify.
Financial Gains Will Be Exponential
Avoiding billions in fines and legal fees from dismantled investigations.
Expanding government contracts for SpaceX, Starlink, and Tesla.
Gaining billions in tax breaks and deregulated markets.
Using less oversight to fast-track AI and Neuralink expansion.
Long-Term Political Power
DOGE allows Musk to continue weakening the agencies that could challenge his power.
The President aside, no individual has ever had this level of direct influence in the U.S. government.
If unchecked, Musk could dictate federal economic and regulatory policy for years—well beyond Donald Trump’s presidency.
Media Control & Narrative Manipulation
Musk controls X, which operates for many as the world’s largest real-time news platform, meaning he can (and already has) shape political discourse and spread misinformation to silence critics.
By fueling outrage and manipulating discourse on his platform, he can discredit opponents, suppress critical information, and mobilize his followers with an influence unmatched by anyone else.
Is Elon Untouchable…?
Musk’s strategy is far more advanced than traditional corporate lobbying or political influence. He isn’t just backing a president—he’s effectively running key parts of the government in ways that benefit him personally.
If unchecked, Musk’s true wealth and power will likely be greater than anything we can currently estimate. DOGE is just the start. The real concern, as he spoon feeds his perfect dummy whatever is in his own best interest, is that Musk has a free pass to reshape the U.S. government, in a way and on a scale no person—billionaire or otherwise— in history has achieved.
In his wildest dreams, Musk could not have imagined that the $277 million—the equivalent of a nickel for most of us—he spent on his puppet could have ever paid off so richly. Even he could not have fathomed the depths of the puppet’s gullibility or vanity.
Timeline: Elon Musk’s Legal Issues, Political Influence, and the Creation of DOGE
2023-2024:
Elon Musk’s Legal Issues and Regulatory Scrutiny
March 2023: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launches an investigation into Musk for failing to properly disclose his Twitter stock purchases before his acquisition of the platform.
July 2023: The Department of Labor (DOL) opens multiple investigations into Tesla and SpaceX for allegations of unsafe working conditions, union-busting, and wage violations.
September 2023: Neuralink faces scrutiny from the USDA and FDA for alleged animal welfare violations and concerns over fast-tracked human trials.
December 2023: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigates SpaceX over multiple rocket failures and alleged violations of safety protocols at launch sites.
Mid-2024:
Musk Begins Financially Backing Trump
July 2024: Reports emerge that Elon Musk plans to contribute millions to Trump's re-election campaign through America PAC, a super PAC supporting Trump. Musk claims he intends to contribute to America PAC, but the amounts would be significantly less than the initial reports of $75 million.
August 2024: Musk proposes the creation of a "government efficiency commission" to Donald Trump, suggesting that the federal government needs "Silicon Valley innovation."
September 2024: Trump publicly endorses the idea, stating that Musk would be the best person to lead such an initiative.
October 2024: Musk donates $75 million to America PAC over a three-month period.
Between October 17 and November 25, 2024: Musk donates an additional $120 million to America PAC.
November 2024: Trump wins re-election, securing his second term.
December 2024: The SEC files a lawsuit against Musk, accusing him of market manipulation and failure to disclose stock acquisitions in a timely manner.
December 2024: Reports reveal that Musk had contributed a total of $277 million to Trump’s campaign, making him the largest individual donor in U.S. election history.
January 2025:
The Creation of DOGE and Musk’s Rise to Power
January 20, 2025: Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.
January 20, 2025: On his first day in office, Trump signs an executive order creating the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), appointing Elon Musk as its head.
January 21, 2025: DOGE begins “audits” of multiple federal agencies, with a stated focus of "eliminating inefficiencies."
January 25, 2025: The FAA Administrator resigns amid reports of pressure from DOGE to ease SpaceX launch regulations or else.
January 27, 2025: The USDA’s Inspector General, Phyllis Fong, is removed, effectively stalling investigations into Neuralink’s animal welfare violations.
February 2025:
Blatant Systematic Dismantling of Investigations
February 1, 2025: The Department of Labor’s Inspector General is dismissed, halting multiple investigations into Tesla and SpaceX labor violations.
February 5, 2025: The SEC investigation into Musk’s Twitter stock purchases is deprioritized following DOGE’s scrutiny and threat to the agency.
February 10, 2025: DOGE cuts funding to USAID, an agency that was investigating Starlink’s involvement in Ukraine and potential conflicts of interest.
February 12, 2025: Reports indicate that DOGE attempted to access IRS tax data under the guise of "identifying fraud."
February 18, 2025: A coalition of Democratic state attorney generals file a lawsuit against Musk and the Trump administration, alleging that DOGE is being used as a tool to dismantle regulatory oversight for Musk’s businesses.
February 19, 2025: Musk defends DOGE on X, claiming that "government bloat is the real enemy," while critics argue he is systematically eliminating checks on his own power, influence, and businesses.
Projected Future Concerns
March 2025: Ongoing lawsuits challenging DOGE’s constitutionality.
Summer 2025: Potential congressional hearings investigating Musk’s use of DOGE to target agencies overseeing his businesses. Regardless of the outcome, Trump will support and clear the way for Musk.
Beyond 2025: With Musk in a position of unchecked power, there are growing concerns that he will continue to shape U.S. government policy to serve his business empire, potentially securing billions in additional government contracts while evading regulatory scrutiny.
Musk’s Power Consolidation:The Ethical and Legal Nightmare to Come
If any other billionaire had used government power to dismantle investigations into their own companies, it would be a national scandal. If any other private citizen proposed a government agency, financed the president’s campaign, and was then put in charge of the very agency they suggested creating, it would be seen as corruption of the highest order.
And yet, Elon Musk continues to act with zero consequences.
What Laws Is He Breaking?
Although I am not an attorney or legal scholar, the following seem obvious:
Conflict of Interest Laws (18 U.S.C. § 208): Federal officials cannot oversee matters where they have a financial stake.
Obstruction of Justice (18 U.S.C. § 1503, 1519): Firing investigators and dismantling agencies conducting oversight on one’s businesses is grounds for obstruction.
Bribery & Abuse of Power (18 U.S.C. § 201): If Musk’s donations to Trump’s campaign were tied to promises of a government role, it would constitute illegal quid pro quo.
Congressional watchdogs and legal experts have already called for investigations, but with Musk’s grip on the government growing, who will hold him accountable?
The Bigger Picture: A Precedent for Billionaire Rule
Musk’s takeover of DOGE, his dismantling of regulatory agencies, and his control of social media to influence public discourse represent both a fundamental shift in how power is consolidated in America, and a fundamental shift in the future of the United States herself.
This isn't just about one billionaire getting richer—this is about democracy itself being rewritten to serve the ultra-wealthy.
Where Do We Go From Here?
During the 1860s, and specifically during the American Civil War, a popular phrase came into existence. In 1867, Pomeroy’s Democrat, a newspaper that used sensationalist language and regularly attacked President Abraham Linoln and post-war Reconstruction policies, used the phrase regularly. However, I will forever remember it as one of my mother’s favorite idioms, used frequently when I was growing up, alongside colloquialisms like “That just gripes my ass” and “Oh, I swanny.” Where do we go from here? My mother would probably say “To hell in a handbasket” if people don’t take action and things don’t change considerably in the near future.
Congress must investigate Musk’s actions and his control over DOGE.
The Justice Department must scrutinize whether laws were broken in Musk’s campaign contributions and appointments.
The American public must wake up to the reality that one man, through money, media, and deception, is reshaping the government to serve himself. WE MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
And least likely of all, the meager puppet could come to life and defy its Master, but we know that will not happen.
Otherwise, it won’t just be Musk. A blueprint is being drawn in front of our eyes, regulatory bodies are being silenced, dismantled, disarmed, and soon, the U.S. government won’t just be woefully influenced by corporate interests—as it is now—it will be run by them outright.
The Musk Doctrine, Elon’s strategic consolidation of power under the guise of government efficiency, has nothing to do with efficiency. It’s not about money—he has more than any person in history. It’s about power. And if we don’t stop it now, America will never be the same.
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Sources
News Articles:
"Elon Musk's Super PAC Spent $200M to Help Elect Donald Trump." The Guardian, 12 Nov. 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/12/elon-musk-america-pac-donald-trump-campaign.
"SEC Sues Elon Musk, Accusing Him of Withholding Info from Twitter Investors." CBS News, 15 Jan. 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sec-sues-elon-musk-withholding-info-from-twitter-investors/.
"Elon Musk Spends $277 Million to Back Trump and Republican Candidates." CBS News, 6 Dec. 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-277-million-trump-republican-candidates-donations/.
"Musk's PAC Spent an Estimated $200M to Help Elect Trump." AP News, 12 Nov. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66.
"Elon Musk Has Donated $75 Million to Back Trump." NPR, 16 Oct. 2024, https://www.npr.org/2024/10/16/g-s1-28591/elon-musk-donald-trump-america-pac-fec.
"SEC Sues Elon Musk Over Twitter Stock Disclosures." Law Review, University of Miami School of Law, 14 Jan. 2025, https://lawreview.law.miami.edu/sec-sues-elon-musk-over-twitter-stock-disclosures/.
"Elon Musk Underpaid Twitter Acquisition by $150M by Not Disclosing Early Stake, SEC Alleges." AOL News, 15 Jan. 2025, https://www.aol.com/elon-musk-underpaid-twitter-acquisition-003556953.html.
"Musk Sends More Money to Back Trump, Giving $44M to Super PAC." Reuters, 25 Oct. 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-sends-more-money-back-trump-giving-44-mln-super-pac-2024-10-25/.
"Elon Musk Commits $70 Million to Boost Donald Trump." AP News, 16 Oct. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/1092522fb2abc6da346b441763e9ce04.
The White House. "Declaring a National Energy Emergency." The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-energy-emergency/.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. "EIA Revises Forecast for 2025 U.S. Natural Gas Prices, Leaves Other Forecasts Largely Unchanged." EIA, 14 Feb. 2025, https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press565.php.
Mion, Landon. "Elon Musk to Donate $45M a Month to Pro-Trump Super PAC Following Endorsement of Former President: Report." Fox Business, 16 July 2024, https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/elon-musk-donate-45m-month-pro-trump-super-pac-endorsement-former-president-report.
Ulmer, Alexandra, and Rachael Levy. "Musk Gave $75 Million to Pro-Trump Group, Becoming a Republican Mega Donor." Reuters, 16 Oct. 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-gave-75-million-pro-trump-group-becoming-republican-mega-donor-2024-10-16/.
Patrick, George. "The Tesla Revolt." The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/02/tesla-elon-doge/681666/.
National Employment Law Project. "House GOP’s Proposed Budget Would Gut Labor Enforcement." NELP, 2025, https://www.nelp.org/house-gops-proposed-budget-would-gut-labor-enforcement/.
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