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Elon Musk Advocates Privatizing USPS and Amtrak During Tech Conference

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley event, Musk criticized U.S. public services as inefficient and suggested privatization as a solution, echoing similar ideas from the Trump administration.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 04: Passengers arrive on an Amtrak train at Union Station on December 04, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Amtrak carried a record 32.8 million passengers in their 2024 fiscal year, a 15 percent increase over the same period in 2023. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
U.S. President Joe Biden arrives with his granddaughters Finnegan and Maisy for an event marking Amtrak's 50th Anniversary, at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., April 30, 2021.
Elon Musk arrives for US President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025.
White House Senior Advisor to the President, Elon Musk at the Capitol on March 05, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Overview

  • Elon Musk called for the privatization of Amtrak and the United States Postal Service during a virtual appearance at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference.
  • Musk described the U.S. federal government as being in worse shape than any commercial company and likened his advisory role to a large-scale corporate restructuring.
  • He praised foreign rail systems, particularly China's, while calling the state of U.S. passenger rail 'embarrassing' and warning tourists against using it.
  • The Trump administration has also floated the idea of privatizing the USPS, with recent discussions about placing it under the Commerce Department's control, raising legal concerns.
  • Although Musk holds an informal advisory role to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President Trump has publicly referred to him as its leader, despite legal scrutiny over Musk's influence.