I figured out why Elon Musk has aligned himself with this administration—it appears his alignment may benefit him by reducing opposition within the federal government.

If you look at the agencies Musk has targeted for “audit” under the fictional Department of Government Efficiency (which sounds like something out of Harry Potter), you’ll notice a pattern: almost all of them were either investigating or preparing to investigate Musk and his businesses.

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Government Investigations into Elon Musk's Companies

Department of Labor (DOL)

• Companies: Tesla, SpaceX
• Issue: Alleged unfair labor practices, safety concerns, workplace discrimination

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

• Company: Tesla
• Issue: Over 300 consumer complaints

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Company: SpaceX
• Issue: Probe into Starlink satellite terminals provided to Ukraine

Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Companies: Tesla, SpaceX
• Issue: Vehicle safety, self-driving technology, spaceflight safety

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Company: Neuralink
• Issue: Potential violations of the Animal Welfare Act

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Company: Tesla
• Issue: Violations of the Clean Air Act and hazardous waste laws

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

• Company: Elon Musk
• Issue: Complaints related to Musk's America PAC

Department of the Interior (DOI)

• Company: SpaceX
• Issue: Potential damage to threatened species' habitats

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Company: SpaceX
• Issue: Concerns about compliance with federal reporting protocols, security risks

Department of Justice (DOJ)

• Companies: Tesla, SpaceX
• Issue: Alleged discrimination in hiring, misleading claims about vehicle features

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

• Company: X (formerly Twitter)
• Issue: Alleged misleading of shareholders about stock purchases

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This table outlines various government investigations into Elon Musk’s companies, covering labor disputes, environmental concerns, financial practices, and security issues. This doesn't even include agencies that may have launched investigations into Neuralink, such as the FDA.

The man often called the richest in the world—who has received more taxpayer-funded government subsidies than most—appears to be weakening government institutions, seemingly under the guise of cost-cutting. In doing so, these actions are affecting real people’s lives, and Musk's public responses suggest he finds aspects of it entertaining.

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