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Why Musk is supporting former Exxon Mobil CEO for Secretary of State
Elon Musk shocked social media when he tweeted an endorsement of Rex Tillerson as the next US Secretary of State on Tuesday. Musk has a few good things to say about Donald Trump leading up to his Presidency and Trump’s choice of the former CEO of Exxon Mobil seems to be a slap in the face to anybody who is concerned about global warming and the role fossil fuels have played in it.
Exxon Mobil is currently being investigated by the attorneys general of the New York and Massachusetts. Both contend the company knew of the harm that burning fossil fuels could do to the environment 40 years ago but elected to spend billions funding special interest groups to oppose the climate change message being put forth by James Hansen, The Union of Concerned Scientists, and others.
Weaning the world off fossil fuels is one of the central themes of Elon Musk’s plan to build compelling electric cars and promote solar power. What could he possibly find appealing about the CEO of the largest oil company in the world?
Yesterday, The Economist endorsed Tillerson and Musk tweeted shortly afterwards that he agreed with The Economist.
This may sound surprising coming from me, but I agree with The Economist. Rex Tillerson has the potential to be an excellent Sec of State.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 24, 2017
Musk added, “Rex is an exceptionally competent executive, understands geopolitics and knows how to win for his team. His team is now the USA. I share The Economist’s opinion that he should be given the benefit of the doubt unless his actions prove otherwise.
Has Elon deserted his loyal fans who tend to be rather more ecologically aware than the norm? Apparently not. Later in the day, he revealed the reason why he supports Tillerson for Secretary of State.
Rex Tillerson supports a carbon tax. This is what is really needed to move the needle. https://t.co/6ne01TOzs1
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2017
Musk is betting that Tillerson will be able to influence Donald Trump to accept a carbon tax, something Musk has been advocating for since he first joined Tesla Motors. It is a way to eliminate what economists refer to as an “untaxed externality,” something that is a cost of doing business that is not incorporated into the price of finished goods.
Musk delicately refers to the fact that fossil fuel companies largely avoid paying the environmental and societal costs of their activities as “the turd in the punchbowl.” During the COP21 Paris climate summit, he made a compelling case for a carbon tax to a distinguished audience at the Sorbonne. In Tillerson, he seems to believe he has an important ally.
Musk has also been present at a number of meetings with Donald Trump, leading some to question whether his apparent support for the new President could alienate some of Musk’s traditional supporters. Until now, Musk and Tesla have been careful not to become embroiled in the divisive political storm that is roiling America.
Treading carefully between the needs of his businesses, the needs of his customers, and the policies of the new government may be one of the toughest challenges Musk has ever faced. Uber, for instance, has suffered a backlash from people incensed that CEO Travis Kalanik has accepted an appointment to one of Trump’s policy forums for business leaders. Musk is also a member of the same forum, but so far there has been no political backlash against Musk and Tesla.
Tesla is doing what Trump wants other car companies to do — build more American factories that employ American workers. But SpaceX is dependent on NASA for a significant portion of its future income. Of all Musk’s business ventures, it can least afford to alienate the current occupant of the Oval Office.
Musk may have made a carefully calibrated political calculation with regard to his working arrangements with the administration, but his support for and trust in Rex Tillerson seems to be grounded in the belief that a carbon tax is vital step to the fight to limit the damage from the consumption of fossil fuels. Unless and until he does something to break that trust, Tillerson and Musk will remain what Washington watchers for decades have called “strange bedfellows.”
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
