Corporate America's Silence: Will Businesses Stand Against Musk's Power Grab?

Corporate America has the power to challenge Elon Musk’s aggressive dismantling of federal institutions, yet no major CEO or lobbying group has stepped forward. 

The business world prioritizes lower taxes and fewer regulations above all else, even if it means turning a blind eye to threats against the very institutions that sustain a stable economic environment.

Industry lobbying groups spend hundreds of millions annually to influence Congress in their favor. 

However, they remain silent as the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency" infiltrates federal payment systems and removes public data from government websites. 

This silence stems from the fact that U.S. businesses have long thrived under a system of sensible laws, free markets, reliable data, and a robust workforce—all of which rely on the federal bureaucracy that Musk is now actively working to dismantle.

Despite their vast resources and legal firepower, corporations have yet to push back against Musk, DOGE, or Project 2025, even as these efforts undermine the foundation of a functional economy. 

Economist Kathryn Anne Edwards questions this silence: “How many businesses depend on economic data? The entire financial industry should be pressuring the government, saying, ‘How dare you tamper with data that we use for market predictions?’ But there’s no response from them.”

Business groups have only recently raised concerns about former President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs. 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, alongside trade groups representing automakers, manufacturers, and farmers, publicly opposed tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports. 

They celebrated when the White House delayed those tariffs for a month. 

However, the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable declined to comment on Musk’s actions against federal agencies, reflecting a pattern of selective corporate advocacy.

This corporate silence is not entirely surprising. While businesses once positioned themselves as defenders of social justice and democratic institutions, that era appears to have passed. 

In 2016, companies united with activists against North Carolina’s anti-trans “bathroom bill.” Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, businesses publicly embraced anti-racism initiatives. And after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, corporate PR teams scrambled to ensure CEOs condemned the insurrection.

Today, such corporate activism has diminished. Many businesses have abandoned vocal political stances, partly due to backlash and shifting economic priorities. 

Last year, as states imposed stricter abortion laws, corporate advocacy on social issues declined further. 

Ultimately, businesses operate on cost-benefit analyses, and the trade-off has become clear—companies are willing to risk economic stability and the rule of law for tax breaks and the privilege of staying off Trump’s radar.

There is no legal obligation for corporations to defend the Constitution—that duty belongs to Congress. 

However, with a Republican majority largely indifferent to Musk’s power grab and Democrats offering little beyond rhetorical outrage, the responsibility falls to a business community that seems unwilling to act.

How much longer can Corporate America afford to remain silent while the institutions that sustain its prosperity erode?

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