I really don’t know a lot about Elon Musk. My concern is that he is too rich, too young, too powerful, and apparently absolutely nuts. I find this to be worrisome.

Musk controls at least these companies: X, Space X (which includes Starlink), and Tesla. But here is my question: what role does he actually play in connection with each of these enormous companies? And how essential is he to these businesses?

I think I understand X the best. He bought Twitter, installed his own people, streamlined the operation, and decided that free speech trumps (ha ha) responsible ownership. This means that the company has lost a lot of money, lost a lot of responsible users, gained a large number of irresponsible users, and – perhaps, to a large extent – become more of a danger than it had been when it was Twitter. It also means that, as owner, Musk can change the direction of Twitter at will. He could make it the Newsmax of social media companies if he wants, and ban all but far-right political voices. Yes, he could. How much time does he spend on X? (That is a purposely ambiguous question.)

As to Tesla, I have no idea how much time Musk devotes to Tesla. After an extraordinary increase in production, he now sees production slowed or falling, and is obviously facing competition from other electric vehicle makers (domestic and foreign, especially Chinese) while the interest of American consumers buying electric vehicles has become somewhat shaky. At the same time, Musk seems convinced that electric vehicles are the future (more on this below). I have heard Musk talk about this, and I have heard him talk about his other focus: cars without drivers (his Tesla driverless system nowvunder investigation). But how much does Tesla depend on Musk himself?

I ask a similar question about Space X, and here the question is much more important. Space X, under contract to NASA, is now our only way to reach the International Space Station (other than through Russia). This is important. Space X is also way ahead, I believe, in the development of reusable rockets, and has been very successful as recently as last week on capturing a returning rocket forcreuse.

Through Space X, Musk also controls Starlink, which is a way to communicate through a low orbit satellite network. Starlink, for example, is the way Ukraine’s army communicates, and it does this through Musk’s largesse – he is providing this to Ukraine for a cost of $Zero. And this is not being done with the United States as an intermediary; at least, I don’t think the U.S. is formally involved. What to make of this? If Musk wants to cut off his Ukraine largesse, he could do it. Immediately, if he wanted. Or if Trump asked him to.

Elon Musk “runs” (in various ways) each of these companies, and more that I haven’t listed here (such as The Boring Company – Google it). At Space X, he is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer. At Tesla, he is chief Executive Officer. At X, he is the Chairman.

This seems like more than enough for one person. Even if he is a technical genius or a business genius.  But he wants more.

Musk has come out strongly for Donald Trump. I could say that this decision alone raises questions about Musk’s sanity, but I will forego that here. But the way he has announced his support for Trump is a different story. He has so far donated at least $75,000,000 (a pittance for Musk, of course). On X, he has not only allowed Trump back on the app (he was banned when it was Twitter), but he has himself not only posted about Trump over and over, but shared hundreds of others’ posts about Trump (many with fake news), while (I have read) having the algorithm altered so that more X users see Musk’s posts. He is currently scheduling a number of events in which he will participate to promote Trump in the last few weeks of the campaign.

In return, Trump has said that, if elected, he will bring Musk into his cabinet and put him in charge of governmental efficiency. If so, I ask, wouldn’t that be a full time job? And does Musk think he can take a cabinet position and at the same time run his various companies? Both with regard to time and energy, and of course, with regard to conflicts.  On second thought, if conflicts don’t bother Trump, why should they bother Musk?

What else does Musk expect to gain? Much more business for Space X, I assume? Taking advantage of Trump cutting business regulations in general? Having an influence in government regulation of social media companies, of course?

And what about Tesla? Trump has been vocal against the future of electric vehicles. Clearly, Musk wants at least to neutralize Trump on electric cars, and wants to encourage Trump to put confiscatory tariffs on foreign made vehicles.

And Trump? If Trump tells Musk to cut off Starlink access to Ukraine to help Putin win the war, for example?

By the way, what do you think they really think about each other? Musk used to say that Trump is too old, and Trump used to call Musk a bullshit artist.

Yuck, I say. And Musk is right about Trump’s age. And – one last big problem – Musk is only 53. He could be active another 30 years.

Cheers.