'Defund Musk': Former Clinton Cabinet official urges Democrats to target SpaceX founder

A former Clinton administration labor secretary, Robert Reich, is urging Democrats to go after Elon Musk's business empire if the party wins power in Washington. Speaking on his podcast, "The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich," on Oct. 24, Reich said Democrats who take Congress should open investigations into the SpaceX founder and begin preparing to place SpaceX and its Starlink satellite internet unit under public ownership. He argued that no single individual should hold so much influence, and said such a step would hinge on Democrats also retaking the White House, according to Fox Business.

Reich claimed that 75% of Musk's wealth rests on taxpayer money, pointing to Pentagon purchases of Starlink systems. Fox Business notes he offered no evidence for that figure, though SpaceX does hold billions of dollars in federal contracts, including with NASA and the Defense Department. He also predicted Musk would use his large following on X as protection against congressional scrutiny.

Musk answered on X on Oct. 25, replying to a clip posted by commentator Collin Rugg. He called taking companies a serious crime and said Reich belonged in prison. The exchange comes as Democrats try to win back Congress in the November midterms.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox Business’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox Business →