Elon the trillionaire: What Musk’s milestone means for the world
Jun 17, 2026 •
Over the weekend, Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire.
It came after his company, SpaceX, was publicly listed, reaching a valuation of more than two trillion dollars.
Elon’s wealth is now the equivalent of the bottom one-third of the entire globe’s population. It’s more than the entire annual GDP of Belgium, Sweden or Ireland.
But while some are celebrating Musk’s milestone, for others it’s jarring to see in the hands of someone who uses their power for political purposes – and at a time where so many are living with so little.
Today, author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire, Carl Rhodes, on what the world’s first trillionaire means for the distribution of power and wealth.
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.
Elon the trillionaire: What Musk’s milestone means for the world
1951 • Jun 17, 2026
Elon the trillionaire: What Musk’s milestone means for the world
Over the weekend, Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire.
It came after his company, SpaceX, was publicly listed, reaching a valuation of more than two trillion dollars.
Elon’s wealth is now the equivalent of the bottom one-third of the entire globe’s population. It’s more than the entire annual GDP of Belgium, Sweden or Ireland.
But while some are celebrating Musk’s milestone, for others it’s jarring to see in the hands of someone who uses their power for political purposes – and at a time where so many are living with so little.
Today, author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire, Carl Rhodes, on what the world’s first trillionaire means for the distribution of power and wealth.
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.
Guest: Author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire, Carl Rhodes
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