SpaceX's IPO made Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. More than $15 billion in federal contracts helped build the company that got him there. The public funded the risk. Musk captured the reward.
SpaceX is racing toward a stock market debut at a $1.75 trillion valuation. A significant share of that number is built on federal contracts awarded by agencies whose decisions are shaped by the company's owner — who also works inside the government.
Political consulting firms with Trump ties collected $47 million in commissions from DHS immigration enforcement ads — triple the standard government rate — while the agency cut humanitarian aid to border communities.