Pope Leo Criticizes Musk’s Proposed 1 Trillion Dollar Pay Package

As the first American Pope, Pope Leo has been watched closely for signs of what priorities will shape his papacy. In one of his first public interviews, conducted with several Catholic outlets and international news organizations, he singled out Musk’s 1 trillion dollar pay deal as an example of distorted moral values.

Musk Called out by The Pope in Moral Question

The Pope’s rebuke of Musk comes in response to Tesla’s proposed compensation package. If approved by shareholders in November, the deal could be worth up to $1 trillion, structured around ambitious performance goals. Musk would only receive the full payout if Tesla achieves milestones such as raising its market value to $8.5 trillion, dramatically expanding electric vehicle production, and successfully launching a global fleet of robotaxis.

In response, Pope Leo used the interview not only to address questions of faith but also to comment on the moral implications of the deal. He drew attention to the growing inequality between corporate leaders and ordinary workers. The Pope pointed out how “CEOs that 60 years ago might have been making four to six times more than what the workers are receiving,” are now receiving “600 times more.” 

Catholic Tradition in Stewardship, Not Wealth

Pope Leo’s comments stand firmly in the Catholic social tradition, which has long emphasized the dignity of work and serving the poor. However, when people like Musk are worth amounts that are inconceivable, the Pope argues that the value of life itself is reduced. 

He particularly focused on how a factor that was contributing to the loss of morality was the inequality from the wealthiest and working class: “One [factor] which I think is very significant is the continuously wider gap between the income levels of the working class and the money that the wealthiest receive.” In this way, the Pope suggested that Musk’s package is a symbol of this loss of value in life. 

The Pope’s statements are also not new but are a continuation of Catholic teachings, particularly from the late Pope Francis. In Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti, he teaches about how economies must serve people – not the other way around. He writes: “Wealth has increased, but together with inequality, with the result that new forms of poverty are emerging.” Of the new forms of poverty, the most concerning form of poverty is that of spiritual poverty. 

Pope Leo underscored the spiritual poverty that Musk’s potential trillionaire status presents for the world, “Yesterday [there was] the news that Elon Musk is going to be the first trillionaire in the world. What does that mean and what’s that about? If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we’re in big trouble.”