Elon Musk’s fortune keeps shrinking

Elon Musk’s fortune, long considered the richest man on the planet, has just fallen below 400 billion dollars for the first time since the election.

After a spectacular leap following Donald Trump’s victory in November 2024, propelling his fortune to a historic peak of 433 billion dollars, Elon Musk had cemented his political influence by supporting Trump with over 50 million dollars in donations and strategic investments.

However, Musk’s reputation seems to be suffering a serious setback due to his actions, as many are labeling him as completely unhinged since the election.

But in the span of a few months, Elon Musk’s image and his fortune experienced a spectacular fall. By mid-February 2025, his net worth had finally fallen below the 400 billion dollar mark.

This decline can be explained by an explosive combination of political controversies, a loss of investor confidence, particularly with Tesla, as well as the tariffs imposed by Trump on several countries, heavily weighing on the billionaire’s companies.

One of the first cracks in Musk’s empire is his direct involvement in American government decisions. After Trump’s inauguration, he was accused of influencing environmental regulations, defense markets, and tech immigration, causing an exodus of foreign engineers, which harmed Tesla and SpaceX. 

His interference in American finances and his takeover of the Department of the Treasury raises serious concerns about the extent of his power and his access to sensitive data of millions of Americans, without ever having been elected, fueling fears of uncontrolled private influence over the State.

Thanks to this access, Musk suspended funding for USAID and other federal programs, prompting several congressional investigations for abuse of influence. 

In the face of controversy, judges had to intervene to block some of his decisions, highlighting the risks of his grip on public finances.

Tesla’s value has plummeted by more than 30% in a month, affected by a massive boycott in Europe, a 50% drop in sales in Germany, and growing investor distrust. This crisis is fueled by Musk’s political controversies, the loss of market confidence, and unfavorable tariffs imposed by Trump, which are increasing production costs and reducing Tesla’s competitiveness.

The coming weeks will be decisive to see if Tesla’s decline continues and if shareholders will reach their breaking point regarding their CEO’s actions. Meanwhile, many Tesla vehicle owners are expressing a growing discomfort regarding the recent controversies surrounding Musk.