Senator Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday evening, seeking clarification and documents about the State Department’s potential acquisition of $400 million in armored Tesla Cybertrucks from Elon Musk’s company.
“Mr. Musk’s dual roles create conflicts of interest that are so evident they hardly need elaboration,” the Connecticut Democrat stated in the letter obtained by CBS News. “The State Department’s intention to procure armored Cybertrucks indicates that the conflicts of interest embedded in Mr. Musk’s placement of his associates throughout the government are not being sufficiently addressed and are, indeed, worsening with time.”
“In the 15 months since its unveiling, the Cybertruck has faced significant criticism and has been subjected to at least six separate recalls. Reports indicate that Tesla has experienced ‘disastrous’ sales figures for the Cybertruck. It hardly appears to be the kind of dependable vehicle the State Department would select for this contract without evident bias.”
Blumenthal requested a reply by February 21.
Last week, he initiated a preliminary investigation into Musk and his businesses.
Musk, the richest individual in the world, is also the CEO of SpaceX and X (previously known as Twitter), holds significant government contracts, and was a major supporter of Mr. Trump’s campaign.
He leads the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, which, although not a formal government entity, is actively exploring methods to reduce the federal budget.
Musk’s team has conducted an audit of computer systems across various agencies, searching for what he describes as waste, fraud, and abuse. Multiple lawsuits have been filed contesting his authority in these matters.
In October, GM Defense delivered its first Suburban Shield — an armored heavy-duty version of the Suburban for the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). This program aims to supply armored SUVs to the DSS and over a dozen other federal entities, as noted by GM Defense. GM secured the 10-year contract, valued at up to $300 million, in November 2023.
