A Washington Post story on tech billionaire Elon Musk’s outsize influence on the incoming Trump administration cited UCLA Luskin’s Martin Gilens. Musk became an outspoken Trump supporter less than six months ago and spent $277 million to back Republican campaigns in this election cycle. Now, he’s playing an unprecedented role in shaping Trump’s administration, weighing in on Cabinet picks, joining meetings with heads of state and, this week, sparking a showdown on Capitol Hill by attacking a spending bill that would forestall a government shutdown. Musk is also the target of multiple government investigations and party to many lucrative government contracts. His business empire’s dependency on the government creates a conflict of interest, said Gilens, a professor of public policy, social welfare and political science. “It’s kind of a perfect storm, in the sense that he’s unelected and in a seemingly very influential position,” he said, “so that’s problematic to begin with.”
Director, Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy; Professor of Public Policy, Political Science, and Social Welfare
Martin Gilens is a Professor of Public Policy, Political Science, and Social Welfare at UCLA. In July 2026, he was appointed...
