Ah, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is at it again. In the latest episode of “How Much Power Can One Billionaire Grab Before Someone Steps In?” Elon Musk and his government-backed empire have orchestrated yet another self-serving maneuver, this time at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

After Trump’s administration, shockingly, fired hundreds of FAA workers, Musk’s DOGE conveniently came up with a “brilliant” solution: just let SpaceX employees step in to fill the gaps in air traffic control and aerospace safety. You know, because who wouldn’t want the people whose entire business depends on launching rockets to also be the ones responsible for regulating aerospace safety?

A Masterclass in Corruption

The FAA has been struggling for months, facing budget cuts and mass layoffs under the Trump administration’s latest attempt to “streamline” government operations (which, let’s be honest, usually just means gutting federal agencies and handing the pieces to the highest bidder). Among the victims? Hundreds of FAA air traffic controllers and safety inspectors, aka the people who make sure planes don’t fall out of the sky.

Enter Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) just happens to have a solution: fill the FAA gaps with SpaceX employees. Because who needs independent oversight when you can just regulate yourself?

Of course, Musk, ever the self-proclaimed champion of “fairness”, assured everyone that he’s “committed to recusing himself” from any conflicts of interest. Which is hilarious considering the entire arrangement is one giant, flashing-neon-sign-sized conflict of interest.

Let’s not forget that Musk’s companies (SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla, and basically every other tech endeavor he’s involved in) are already swimming in government contracts. And now, with DOGE conveniently placing his own employees in regulatory positions, he essentially gets to oversee the very agency that approves his own launches.

Elon Musk: Doing It All for the “Social Good”

If you ask Musk (or his army of fanboys), this move isn’t about power, it’s about the “social good”. After all, someone has to fix the FAA mess, and who better than the guy who runs the world’s most powerful private space company?

Except, let’s be real, this isn’t about social good. This is about consolidating power. SpaceX is already the FAA’s biggest commercial launch partner, and now its employees are taking over key regulatory roles. What happens when safety concerns arise about SpaceX launches? Are SpaceX employees-turned-FAA regulators really going to put public safety first if it means grounding Musk’s next big mission?

What’s Next: A Monopoly on the Skies?

This move isn’t just shady, it’s a direct threat to aviation safety and regulatory integrity. If Musk gets his way, we’re looking at a future where the FAA becomes little more than an extension of SpaceX, giving Musk unchecked control over the skies.

So, in case it wasn’t clear before: billionaires shouldn’t be in charge of regulating their own industries. And yet, here we are, watching Musk and Trump carve up the FAA like it’s a startup they just acquired.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that when Musk promises he’ll “recuse himself” from conflicts of interest, what he really means is: “I’ll do whatever I want, and you’ll be too distracted arguing on Twitter to stop me”.