Senator Patty Murray has ignited a fresh political firestorm, accusing Elon Musk of contributing no more to the US Social Security system than a well-paid 'electrician'. The Washington Democrat's critique of the world's first trillionaire highlights the widening chasm in the American tax code, where payroll levies stop for high earners long before they reach the stratosphere of billionaire wealth.
Murray took to X on Sunday to label the situation 'outrageous', arguing that Musk's contribution to the federal programme in 2026 matches that of a worker earning approximately $185,000 a year. Her comments have reopened a long-standing debate in Washington regarding how America taxes extreme wealth and whether current laws adequately capture the fortunes of the super-rich.
