Overview

• Governor Chris Sununu argued on CNN that Elon Musk, worth $450 billion, is 'too rich' to be influenced by financial conflicts of interest in his new government role.
• Musk has been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), raising concerns about his extensive federal contracts and business interests.
• Critics, including ethics experts, Democratic politicians, and some Republican strategists, condemned Sununu's remarks as dismissive of legitimate concerns about corruption and conflicts of interest.
• Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, have received billions in federal contracts, fueling skepticism about his impartiality in advising on government spending cuts.
• Sununu, previously critical of Trump, has been accused of hypocrisy for defending Musk and aligning with the incoming administration after backing Nikki Haley earlier in the Republican primary.