Elon Musk’s 2025 recap: how the world’s richest person became its most chaotic

Elon Musk, the world's richest person, had a tumultuous year in 2025, marked by controversies and challenges. The tech CEO, known as the 'Dogefather,' became a part of the Trump administration, with reports of him appearing to give a Nazi salute during the president's inauguration. Musk also staunchly defended a young staffer nicknamed "Big Balls" and denied reports of being a drug addict while advising the president. Additionally, he showed up at a White House press conference with a black eye. Despite these controversies, Musk's companies continued to face difficulties, with Tesla experiencing sales slumps and Starship explosions. Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, defended Musk's approach, stating that his "attitude is you have to get it done fast" and that "if you're an incrementalist, you just won't get your rocket to the moon." However, this attitude has led to "breaking some china," as Wiles put it.