The Theater of Subsidies Donald Trump calls DOGE “the monster that might go back and eat Elon.” Behind the absurdity of that metaphor lies an uncomfortable truth: Musk’s companies have gorged themselves on taxpayer subsidies for over a decade. Tesla, which markets itself as a triumph of private enterprise, was built on the back of regulatory credits, tax incentives, and mandates that cost the American treasury billions. SpaceX thrives because Washington decided to outsource its space ambitions. Even Neuralink and xAI, those futuristic pet projects, would be nowhere without the public’s largesse and a regulatory environment that bends to Musk’s ambitions. And yet, Trump’s sudden crusade against Musk’s subsidies is no act of fiscal virtue. It’s a raw display of…
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