Exclusive: The Threat of Elon Musk

Today, we’re offering a Social Contract exclusive on Elon Musk. Yes, there are a gazillion think pieces about Musk out there right now. But ours focuses on how Musk has broken the social contract with all of us, every single American, including those who are convinced he has their best interests in mind.

Everyone—especially those who believe Musk is acting on their behalf—should read this piece. I encourage you to share it with the Trump supporters in your life. No one needs to see it more. Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription to help fund this important work and access this piece. Thank you!

HEROES OF THE WEEK. Don’t want to waste too much of your time on other things, but amid all the bad, awful, dumb, stupid, embarrassing, demoralizing, infuriating, outrageous, terrible, horrible news of the past few days, we can’t not acknowledge some of the heroes among us…

1. The military families in Germany who booed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (ugh, those last four words were painful to write).

2. U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, who temporarily reversed the Trump administration’s moves to remove scientific data from CDC and FDA websites.

3. American Oversight, a watchdog group that has sued Elon Musk under the Freedom of Information Act, contending that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency is not susceptible to FOIA requests.

4. YOU! Americans have flooded phone lines at the U.S. Capitol, putting pressure on lawmakers to find out more about what Musk is up to, and creating tension between him and our elected representatives. Keep it up! It matters.

Elon Musk: The Antithesis of the Social Contract

The social contract—the unspoken but powerful agreement among us that ensures our society functions through accountability, trust, and the rule of law—demands that power be distributed, checked, and shared. It exists to promote peace and stability and protect our individual rights and freedoms. ...