Pope Leo criticizes huge CEO salaries, including Elon Musk’s

Add Pope Leo XIV to the growing number of critics over wage disparity in the workplace. The pontiff, in his first sit down interview , offered a sharp rebuke to huge executive salaries, taking time to name one directly: Elon Musk.

While Tesla’s board might be happy with Elon Musk’s proposed pay package that could see the billionaire receive $1 trillion , Pope Leo said he is not.

“Yesterday the news [was announced] that Elon Musk is going to be the first trillionaire in the world,” he said. “What does that mean and what’s that about? If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we’re in big trouble…”

The head of the Catholic Church was addressing the issue of polarization in today’s society. While noting there were several elements that have led to the current state, including the pandemic, he pointed at the soaring rate of some executive salaries as widening the gap between the working class and the world’s richest people.

“CEOs that 60 years ago might have been making four to six times more than what the workers are receiving, the last figure I saw, it’s 600 times more than what average workers are receiving,” he said.

Leo, who was elected on May 8, is the first pope to ever be born in the United States. He spent much of his life in Peru as a missionary and a bishop and holds Peruvian citizenship.

Still relatively new on the job, Leo admitted “there’s still a huge learning curve ahead of me.” While he said he has been able to easily slip into the pastoral part of the job, being thrust into the role of world leader is a good bit more challenging, particularly when every phone conversation or meeting becomes a matter of public record.

“Those things are all new to me in any sense of hands-on,” he said. “I’ve followed current affairs for many, many years. I’ve always tried to stay up on the news, but the role of pope is certainly new to me. I’m learning a lot and feeling very challenged, but not overwhelmed.”