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Benzinga
Benzinga
Business
Jeannine Mancini

Elizabeth Warren Says ‘Wealth Is Funneled to the Wealthy’ — Elon Musk Can Be a Trillionaire But Millions of Americans Can’t Afford to See a Doctor

Arlington,,Va,-,February,13,,2020:,Senator,Elizabeth,Warren,Speaks

Just when it seemed billionaires couldn’t get any richer, the world’s first trillionaire arrived.

After SpaceX and Telsa CEO Elon Musk’s fortune climbed past the $1 trillion mark earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA.) didn’t celebrate the milestone. She used it as Exhibit A.

To Warren, Musk’s rise isn’t a success story. It’s proof that the economic system is tilted toward the people at the top while millions of Americans struggle to pay for basics like health care, housing, and groceries.

A few days after Musk crossed the trillion-dollar threshold on June 12, Warren took to X with a blunt message.

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"Our system is rigged so that one man becomes a trillionaire while millions of Americans can’t afford a trip to the doctor," she said.

"Wealth is funneled to the wealthy while everyone else is hanging on by their fingernails," she continued. "My wealth tax would level the playing field."

The post wasn’t simply criticism of Musk. It was another push for a proposal Warren has championed for years: a tax aimed at the richest Americans.

The Trillion-Dollar Argument

Warren argues that Musk’s unprecedented fortune highlights why Congress should impose higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

"Elon Musk just became the world’s first trillionaire," Warren wrote on X.

"The typical American household would have to work more than 11 MILLION years to make Elon Musk’s level of wealth. We need a wealth tax."

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What Warren Wants Congress To Do

Her answer is the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act.

The proposed legislation would leave the first $50 million of a household’s wealth untouched. Net worth above $50 million and up to $1 billion would face a 2% annual tax, while wealth above $1 billion would be taxed at 3% annually.

According to Warren, the measure would ensure that the wealthiest Americans contribute more to funding government priorities while helping narrow the gap between the richest households and everyone else.

Her push for higher taxes on extreme wealth has become even more tied to the debate over artificial intelligence.

Earlier this month, Warren cited Musk’s own warnings about AI potentially replacing large numbers of workers.

"Elon Musk sees a future where AI replaces HALF of all jobs," Warren said.

"If he’s right, our country’s wealth could get sucked up by a handful of billionaires while workers get left behind," she added. We need to tax AI so Americans share in its growth—and Big Tech pays for the disruption it causes."

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One Milestone, Two Very Different Reactions

For Musk’s supporters, becoming the world’s first trillionaire is the latest sign of what can happen when entrepreneurs build companies that reshape industries.

For Warren, it represents something else entirely.

Her message is that when one person’s fortune reaches 13 digits while millions of Americans struggle to afford everyday necessities, the tax code should do more to redistribute some of that wealth.

That debate isn’t likely to disappear anytime soon. Neither, it seems, is Warren’s determination to use Musk’s trillion-dollar milestone to make her case.

While policymakers debate wealth redistribution at the federal level, those with substantial assets face a more immediate priority: structuring their own household finances for tax efficiency, legacy planning, and diversification. The reality is that individuals with significant wealth can’t simply wait for tax policy to shift—they need a curated strategy today.

For high-net-worth households looking to optimize their financial position regardless of future tax changes, AdvisorMatch connects you with fiduciary financial advisors who specialize in estate planning, trust structuring, and multi-generational wealth management.

Whether the tax code shifts or remains stable, a comprehensive financial strategy ensures your household is positioned to protect and grow what you’ve built.

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Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

BluSky AI

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is creating significant demand for data centers, power, and compute infrastructure. BluSky AI is building modular AI data centers designed to support next-generation AI workloads while aiming to reduce deployment timelines compared to traditional facilities. For investors looking beyond AI software and applications, the company offers exposure to the infrastructure layer that makes artificial intelligence possible.

ARK7

Residential real estate has historically provided investors with income potential and long-term appreciation, but direct ownership can be expensive and time-consuming. ARK7 enables investors to buy fractional shares of rental properties, offering access to potential rental income and real estate exposure without property management responsibilities. By lowering the barrier to entry, the platform gives investors another way to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

Miso Robotics

Robotics and automation are becoming increasingly important tools for businesses facing labor shortages and rising operating costs. Miso Robotics develops AI-powered kitchen technology that is already being deployed in restaurant environments, with products designed to help operators improve efficiency and streamline operations. As artificial intelligence expands beyond software and into real-world applications, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of robotics, automation and the future of food service.

Vinovest

Fine wine and rare whiskey have historically moved independently of the stock market, making them a compelling alternative asset. Vinovest manages authenticated, insured portfolios of investment-grade wine and whiskey starting at $5,000 — sourcing, storage, and insurance all handled for you.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

EquityMultiple

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

American Hartford Gold

American Hartford Gold is a precious metals dealer that helps clients buy physical gold and silver coins and bars, either for direct delivery or within self-directed precious metals IRAs. The company’s services include gold and silver IRAs, IRA rollovers, and home delivery of bullion, giving investors a way to use tangible metals to diversify portfolios and seek protection against inflation and market volatility.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.

Image: Shutterstock

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