In the swashbuckling novels of Alexandre Dumas, the Musketeers fought with swords for king and country. Today, a modern-day Musketeer—Elon Musk—wields a far more potent weapon: nearly a trillion dollars. If his fortune were a national economy, it would rank 23rd globally, placing him among the most powerful figures in America, possibly even surpassing the president.
Musk's political influence is already on full display. For the upcoming November elections, he has committed close to half a billion dollars to support Republican candidates, dwarfing all other major donors. This financial firepower buys him direct access to the White House, where he has been a frequent guest and recently received an award from President Donald Trump. As polls show many Americans believe Trump prioritizes wealth, Musk's growing political entanglements raise questions about the alignment of interests between the administration and its billionaire benefactor.
But Musk's power extends far beyond campaign contributions. He is arguably the only individual—including Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin—who can unilaterally alter the course of the Ukraine war. Last week, he withheld access to Starlink's Starshield, crippling Ukraine's command-and-control capabilities, especially its drone operations. Without a workaround, this could prove a fatal blow, potentially forcing President Volodymyr Zelensky into a draconian peace favorable to Moscow. Trump has already signaled support for Russia by purchasing millions of gallons of Russian diesel fuel, which could finance the war against Kyiv. Ending Starlink would be the final blow.
Musk's reach also extends to the Middle East, where his wealth could potentially destabilize regimes. The Houthi war with Saudi Arabia has already inflicted damage on critical infrastructure, including an attack that closed King Khalid Airport in Riyadh. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces lingering resentment from his 2017-2018 crackdown on wealthy families, who were detained at the Ritz Carlton and forced to pay ransoms. With Musk's billions, the Houthis could escalate attacks, further weakening bin Salman's grip on power. While the US and UK overthrew Iran's prime minister in 1953, a similar outcome in Saudi Arabia remains speculative, but Musk's financial capacity makes it a plausible scenario—despite the potential fallout for Jared Kushner's venture fund, which is backed by bin Salman.
Looking ahead to 2028, Musk's constitutional ineligibility for the presidency (being born in South Africa) does not bar him from the vice presidency. Any candidate would eagerly welcome a running mate who could inject $5 to $10 billion into a campaign. Should the president die or become incapacitated, the Speaker of the House would step in, but Musk's influence could still shape the political landscape in unprecedented ways.
Historically, only J.P. Morgan wielded comparable financial clout, having bailed out the US during the panics of 1895 and 1907. Even Rockefeller and Carnegie lacked Morgan's combination of wealth and direct political influence. Musk, with Tesla, SpaceX, and future ventures, now occupies that rarefied space.
Consider the hypothetical: if Xi Jinping or Putin proposed an alliance with Musk, it could upend the Westphalian system of state-based politics. Musk, a man without a state, could become a transnational power broker. Or he might simply buy a small country. The possibilities are endless, and in this case, the Fifth Musketeer rides alone—one for all, and all for him.
