Elon Musk and the President of the United States Donald Trump in the White House, May 30, 2025. AP/Evan Vucci
According to the Catholic publication Crux
Pope Leo XIV expressed criticism of the contemporary scale of wealth in global business, particularly regarding the high salaries of Elon Musk and other leaders of leading corporations. In the pope’s view, such incomes amplify social inequality and undermine the value of human life. These thoughts were voiced during an interview with a Catholic publication and became a topic for reflection on the role of business in the humane development of society.
According to him, the rapid growth of top executives’ compensation compared with the wages of ordinary workers widens the gap in society and demonstrates a model of wealth that contradicts the foundations of humanity and shared responsibility.
“Recently there was news that Elon Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire. What does that mean? If this is the only thing that still has value, then we have big problems,”
According to FT data, Musk’s net worth is estimated at approximately $367 billion, thanks to his Tesla shares and private assets in SpaceX, xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company.
“Chief executives, who sixty years ago could earn four to six times more than workers, the latest figure I have seen shows 600 times the pay of the average worker,”
According to the pope, such a gap in salaries and wealth underscores economic inequality in the world and negatively affects society, reducing trust and interaction among people.
The pope warned of the threat of losing “a higher understanding of the essence of human life” – the value of existence itself, the role of family and community, which must remain a priority of humane development.
Context of the Vatican’s role in international affairs
Earlier Leo XIV also noted that the Vatican’s intermediary role in Russia’s war against Ukraine is highly unrealistic. According to him, the Vatican’s activities should focus on supporting peace and diplomacy, rather than direct involvement as a mediator.
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