GOP senators found themselves in possession of Elon Musk’s cell phone number this week, a situation they seem reluctant to discuss. In the current landscape dominated by DOGE, having a direct line to Musk is highly sought after.
Many Republican senators are keeping mum about their access to Musk. “I’m not gonna answer that question, okay? What’s your next one?” said Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas. “I don’t think it’s anyone’s business.”
Business Insider approached several Republican senators at the Capitol on Thursday, inquiring about their text exchanges with Musk or any future communication plans. Only one senator — Thom Tillis from North Carolina — confirmed reports that Musk shared his number during a lunch with Senate Republicans on Wednesday. “I haven’t texted with him. I don’t have a need to do that,” Tillis stated, adding that he could reach out if DOGE affected areas of concern.
Having the ability to contact Musk is a unique advantage, particularly given his influence in reshaping federal operations at the behest of former President Donald Trump. His role has often seemed to surpass that of Cabinet secretaries, and in some views, rival Trump’s own.
This might explain why certain GOP senators prefer not to even acknowledge whether they received Musk’s number. “I’m not getting into all that. If you have a policy question, I’m happy to answer that,” Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky remarked. “That’s all I got for you. Sorry.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri likewise refrained from confirmation: “I’m not gonna confirm or deny that. I’ve met with him twice in the last two weeks. He’s been very accessible.”
There’s a palpable awareness among these senators regarding Musk’s considerable influence, stemming not only from his leadership role in DOGE but also as the owner of X, a vital communication platform. Some senators have expressed admiration for the billionaire entrepreneur. For instance, Sen. Ted Cruz, while he did not confirm if Musk had shared his number at the recent meeting, mentioned he has had Musk’s contact for years and described him as a “good friend.” He also launched into praise regarding Musk’s intellect and business prowess, saying, “If you assume that intelligence is distributed on a bell curve…his name is Elon.”
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin indicated that the coyness surrounding Musk’s number stems from concerns about access and potential misuse. He lauded Musk’s accomplishments, stating he is “one of the more brilliant, accomplished, effective human beings ever to walk the face of the Earth.”
The recent lunch was just one of many meetings Musk has had with congressional Republicans recently, having engaged with House Republicans later that day and previously meeting with the Senate DOGE Caucus as well as House Speaker Mike Johnson. Meanwhile, some Republicans have expressed concern over the lack of congressional input regarding DOGE’s spending decisions, urging the White House to submit federal spending cuts through a “recission” bill.
At present, Musk seems only willing to share his cellphone number with senators. Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, noted that Musk did not disclose his number during the recent House meeting. “I probably would have been writing it down if he did,” Harris commented, though he stated he didn’t feel overlooked, appreciating Musk’s readily available presence in supporting the Trump agenda.
Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who is part of the DOGE subcommittee, declined to say whether he had Musk’s number but added he wouldn’t bother him with texts, stating simply, “I’m not going to be one of those that bothers him.”
