Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich Says Elon Musk Is ‘Out of Control’ and Regulators Should ‘Threaten to Shut Him Down’

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who served during Bill Clinton’s presidency, wrote in a column published Friday that Musk was “out of control” and argued he needed to be reined in.

“He may be the richest man in the world. He may own one of the most influential social media platforms in the world. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to stop him,” Reich wrote, including a list of six things people could do to rein in Musk.

After Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, now known as X, Reich called the purchase “a dangerous absurdity.” He argued that Musk’s purchase was “simply about power,” rather than freedom of speech.

Reich called on people to boycott Tesla and X and added: “Regulators around the world should threaten Musk with arrest if he doesn’t stop spreading lies and hate about X.”

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich suggested in a Guardian column that Elon Musk was “out of control.” (Left: Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Right: (Photo by Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images))

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Reich argued that global regulators may already be considering threatening Musk with arrest, citing France’s arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris last week as part of a broader investigation that began earlier this year. French prosecutors alleged he enabled criminal activity on the messaging app, and judges ordered him to pay €5 million bail. The charges against Durov include using his platform for child sexual abuse and drug trafficking, and Telegram refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

“In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should require Musk to remove falsehoods that could endanger individuals – and if he doesn’t, prosecute him under Section 5 of the FTC Act,” Reich argued. “Musk’s First Amendment free speech rights do not outweigh the public interest.”

The former Labor Secretary also suggested the U.S. government end its contracts with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Expo, March 9, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP)

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“Why is the US government allowing Elon Musk’s satellites and missile launchers to become essential to the nation’s security when he has shown such a complete disregard for the public interest? Why give Musk more economic power when he repeatedly abuses it and shows such disregard for the public good?” he wrote.

Reich’s final suggestion was that Americans “make sure Musk’s preferred candidate for president is not elected.”

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Elon Musk has thrown his support behind Donald Trump after the former president narrowly avoided an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.