In his first formal interview since becoming Pope Leo XIV, the pontiff expressed deep concern over rising global wealth inequality, specifically criticizing Elon Musk’s potential to become the world’s first trillionaire through a proposed $1 trillion Tesla pay package.
Speaking to Crux on his 70th birthday, Pope Leo highlighted the vast disparity between CEO salaries and average workers’ pay, noting that while CEOs 60 years ago earned four to six times more than workers, that ratio now exceeds 600 to 1.
He questioned the societal implications of billionaire accumulation, stating, “If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we’re in big trouble.” This stance echoes previous papal critiques of capitalism’s excesses.
Elon Musk’s massive compensation plan is contingent on Tesla achieving an eightfold increase in company valuation over a decade.
