Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Purchase of Tesla Stock Sparks Ethical and Political Debate
Just weeks after being named the chair of the House subcommittee tasked with overseeing Elon Musk’s efforts to cut what he considers wasteful government spending, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) made a significant investment in Tesla stock. This move has raised eyebrows and sparked debate about potential conflicts of interest and ethical implications. Greene, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and a controversial figure in U.S. politics, has been a key player in the new Congress, particularly in her role as chair of the subcommittee overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity led by Elon Musk to “slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
Greene’s financial move came shortly after she was appointed to lead the subcommittee. On January 8, 2025, she purchased Tesla shares worth between $1,000 and $15,000 in each of four different accounts, according to a report filed with the House Clerk’s Office. This investment was made just weeks after she announced her role as chair of the new House Oversight subcommittee, which was established to monitor Musk’s work at DOGE. While Greene’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the timing of the stock purchase has led to questions about whether her personal financial interests could influence her oversight of Musk’s initiatives.
The context surrounding Greene’s purchase is particularly significant. In late 2024, just a week after winning the presidential election, Donald Trump tasked Elon Musk with leading DOGE, a government entity aimed at streamlining federal operations and reducing waste. Musk’s leadership of DOGE has been contentious, with his decisions resulting in the downsizing of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). These moves have been met with widespread criticism and a wave of lawsuits, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle between the Trump administration and its opponents.
Greene has been a steadfast ally of both Trump and Musk, and her rhetoric suggests that she fully supports their efforts to reshape the federal government. During the first hearing of her subcommittee, Greene declared, “The legislative branch can’t sit on the sidelines. In this subcommittee, we will fight the war on waste shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, Elon Musk, and the DOGE team.” However, her decision to invest in Tesla, a company directly tied to Musk’s business empire, has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Critics argue that her financial stake in Tesla could create an appearance of impropriety, where her oversight role might be influenced by her personal financial interests.
The ethical implications of Greene’s stock purchase are further complicated by the broader debate over stock trading by members of Congress. In January 2025, Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) introduced the No Corruption in Government Act, a bill that would ban House members from trading stocks. The legislation, which is currently in committee, is part of a growing push to tighten ethics rules in Congress and prevent lawmakers from profiting from their positions. While Greene’s Tesla purchase appears to be within the bounds of current ethics rules, it has drawn renewed attention to the issue of stock ownership by elected officials and the potential for conflicts of interest.
A closer look at Greene’s financial history reveals a pattern of investments in companies tied to her political allies. Before taking office in 2021, Greene held between $15,000 and $50,000 in Tesla stock. Her then-husband, Perry Greene, later purchased additional shares in the electric vehicle manufacturer through his IRA in January 2021. However, Greene did not appear to increase her Tesla holdings significantly until late 2024, when she bought between $4,000 and $60,000 worth of shares. This timing—just weeks after her appointment to the subcommittee overseeing Musk’s DOGE initiative—has prompted scrutiny. Additionally, Greene’s financial disclosures show that she previously invested in a shell company set to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group, a move that has also raised eyebrows. By the following year, those shares had vanished from her disclosures without any reported sale, leading to speculation about their fate.
The financial details of Greene’s Tesla investment provide further context for the debate. On the day she made her purchases, Tesla’s stock traded between $387.40 and $402.50 per share. By Thursday, the stock had closed at $355.94, meaning Greene’s investment had decreased in value by anywhere from 8% to 12%. While this dip could be attributed to normal market fluctuations, it highlights the risks associated with trading individual stocks, particularly when those stocks are tied to high-profile figures like Elon Musk. Additionally, Greene’s history of advocating against electric vehicles (EVs) adds another layer to the story. In June 2024, she introduced an amendment to the 2025 defense budget that would have prohibited the use of funds for electric vehicles or EV infrastructure—a stance that seems at odds with her more recent investment in Tesla, a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles.
The broader implications of Greene’s actions extend beyond her personal financial choices. Her role as chair of the subcommittee overseeing DOGE puts her in a position of significant influence over Musk’s initiatives, which could have far-reaching consequences for federal agencies and government operations. While Greene has framed her oversight as a way to support Trump and Musk in their efforts to combat government waste, her investment in Tesla has led to accusations that she is compromised and unable to fulfill her oversight duties impartially. This criticism is compounded by the fact that Musk’s leadership of DOGE has already sparked controversy, with his decisions leading to the downsizing of key federal agencies and prompting lawsuits from affected parties.
In conclusion, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s decision to purchase Tesla stock shortly after being appointed to oversee Elon Musk’s government efficiency efforts has ignited a firestorm of debate. While her investment appears to comply with current ethics rules, it has drawn attention to the broader issue of stock trading by members of Congress and the potential for conflicts of interest. As the political landscape continues to evolve, Greene’s actions will undoubtedly remain under scrutiny, particularly as she plays a key role in shaping the future of government operations under the Trump administration. Whether her Tesla investment will have long-term implications for her political career or the ongoing debate over government ethics remains to be seen.
