Overview

• Crux published excerpts on September 14 from a July 30 interview, the pope’s first since his May election.
• Léon XIV linked widening income gaps to deepening polarization and urged society not to lose its sense of values.
• He contrasted past CEO-to-worker pay ratios of four to six times with what he said is roughly 600 times today.
• Citing Elon Musk, he questioned a proposed 1,000 billion dollar ($1 trillion) Tesla compensation plan, asking what such pay signifies.
• A Contrepoints response argued Musk’s wealth reflects market valuations and that any large payout would depend on Tesla hitting ambitious targets, while noting global inequality trends alongside poverty reduction.