Musk Faces Congressional Probes After Texas Losses
Democratic gains in the House and Senate trigger scrutiny of over $16 billion in government contracts awarded during the DOGE era.
By Tyler Khalil ·
Elon Musk faces imminent congressional investigations following Democratic victories in both chambers of Congress on Tuesday. The new majority intends to examine the role of the Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk led for four months, and the billions in contracts awarded to his companies during that period.
Musk directed more than $200 million to Texas political campaigns according to federal filings, aiming to support Republican candidates in the state where his companies are headquartered. Despite this spending, Democrats captured every statewide office in Texas. Senator James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton, and Governor James Talarico defeated incumbent Greg Abbott.
Federal election data shows Musk gave over $445 million to Republican candidates and groups nationwide, making him the top donor in the midterms. Since President Trump returned to office, Musk’s companies have received at least $16.3 billion in government contracts. This figure includes $6.3 billion awarded while Musk headed DOGE and another $10 billion secured afterward.
Democratic lawmakers plan to subpoena Musk to answer questions about potential conflicts of interest. Richard Painter, a former White House ethics lawyer, noted that as a special government employee, Musk was barred from participating in matters affecting his financial interests. Painter stated that if Musk influenced decisions impacting SpaceX, a major contractor, he may have committed a crime.
Scrutiny also extends to Musk’s international dealings. Representative Mike Levin of California noted that Musk restricted Starlink services for Ukraine shortly after the administration eased sanctions on Russia. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware cited Musk’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a key area for inquiry. Levin questioned how Musk could disrupt an ally’s military operations without facing accountability.
Markets reacted to the election results on Wednesday. Tesla shares dropped 3%, while SpaceX shares fell nearly 4%. Musk posted on social media that his "election-interfering space lasers" did not work. Talarico addressed Musk directly in his victory speech, stating that power belongs to the people and that the political fight is between the top and the bottom.
Musk did not respond to a request for comment. The investigation will focus on whether taxpayer money and government data were put at risk by his dual role as a private business owner and a government official.
