Washington DC : US Senator Bernie Sanders on Monday slammed SpaceX CEO, billionaire Elon Musk, over his reported spending of USD 366 million to support Republicans in the upcoming US midterm elections, accusing the tech mogul of using his enormous wealth to influence American politics and calling for an end to oligarchy.
In a post on X, Sanders linked Musk's political spending to the billionaire's growing wealth following US President Donald Trump's election victory last year, arguing that the financial benefits Musk had received were not enough to stop him from spending further to keep Republicans in control of Congress.
"Elon Musk spent $290 million to elect Trump. It paid off. Since his election, Musk got $696 billion richer & became the world’s 1st trillionaire. But that’s not enough. Now, Musk is spending $366 million to keep Republicans in control of Congress. STOP MUSK. STOP OLIGARCHY," Sanders said.
Musk's reported political expenditure has drawn attention amid preparations for the US midterm elections, with The New York Times reporting on Monday that he had spent USD 276 million since July alone, including USD 158 million for a super PAC focused on Republican Senate candidates, making him the largest single donor this year.
“These robust investments have allowed the GOP apparatus to get its message out so Republicans can have a fighting chance to defy history,” America PAC spokesman Andrew Romeo told The New York Times.
Sanders' criticism comes as Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and the world's richest technology entrepreneur, has also drawn attention in India over his allegations that powerful business interests were obstructing Starlink's entry into the country's satellite communications market.
In a post on X responding to a discussion about the need for Starlink in India, Musk alleged that the company was being blocked by powerful business interests to protect their market position.
"Unfortunately, we (Starlink) are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are … This is a crime against the people of India," Musk said.
However, the Ministry of Communications has maintained that the country's regulatory framework for satellite communication services is fair and non-discriminatory, stating that all licensed operators must comply with the applicable security requirements before proceeding to the next stage of the authorisation process.
In a statement the Ministry said, "The Government has put in place a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for all telecommunication services, including satellite communication services."
The Ministry also clarified that telecom licences had been granted to three global mobile personal communication by satellite services based on non-geosynchronous satellite orbit technology, with security assessments underway for all three licensees.
It further stated that every licensee was required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions to ensure the safety of users and their data, adding that spectrum assignment could be pursued once the relevant assessment process was completed.
Musk's remarks about oligarchic influence in India stand in contrast to the political influence his own spending has attracted in the United States.
While accusing unnamed Indian business interests of seeking to preserve their market dominance, Musk has reportedly spent hundreds of millions of dollars supporting Republican candidates and efforts to retain Republican control of Congress.
Sanders, in his criticism, specifically questioned the concentration of political influence in the hands of wealthy individuals, arguing that Musk's growing fortune and continued political spending illustrated the influence of billionaire wealth on the American political system.