Ethics Laws May Complicate Elon Musk's Efforts to 'Delete' Regulation

Musk says he and President-elect Donald Trump have 'mandate to delete' regulations.

Associated Press

Nov 15, 2024 — 5 min read

Photo of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show on Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa., by Alex Brandon/AP

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2024 (AP) – In picking billionaire Elon Musk to be “our cost cutter” for the U.S. government, President-elect Donald Trump won't be the first American president to empower a business tycoon to look for ways to dramatically cut federal regulations.

President Ronald Reagan tapped J. Peter Grace to lead a bureaucratic cost-cutting commission in 1982. Still, the chemical business magnate had fewer conflicts of interest than the world's richest man does today.

Musk's SpaceX holds billions of dollars in NASA contracts. He's CEO of Tesla, an electric car business that benefits from government tax incentives and is subject to auto safety rules. His social media platform X, artificial intelligence startup xAI, brain implant maker Neuralink and tunnel-building Boring company all intersect with the federal government in various ways.

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Trump Vance Administration Election 2024 Elon Musk George Mason University NHTSA Missy Cummings George W. Bush Richard Painter Vivek Ramaswamy Markkula Center Ann Skeet Donald Trump AP Tesla SpaceX Neuralink X (Twitter) Social Media AI J. Peter Grace Ronald Reagan red tape