‘I believe’: Elon Musk surprises podcast host with about-face on God
The world’s richest man and self-described atheist made a rare admission about his religious beliefs in a new interview.
Elon Musk has made an unexpected admission about his belief that “God is the creator” in a new interview.
The world’s richest man was interviewed this week by Katie Miller on her eponymous podcast. Miller, who is married to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, quit her own Trump administration post in May to join Mr Musk in the private sector.
During the wide-ranging discussion – which touched on the existence of aliens, their time together working on the formerly-Musk headed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and colonising Mars – Miller asked the Tesla CEO about his spiritual beliefs.
Mr Musk has spoken in the past about his cynicism over there being “some superconsciousness watching over our every movement and kind of evaluating it against some criteria and deciding whether we’re going to go to one place or another when we die”, telling actor Rainn Wilson in 2013: “I think that’s unlikely.”
In recent years, however, as he has increasingly moved toward the American far-right – culminating in his significant involvement in Donald Trump’s re-election, and subsequent tenure in his administration.
That shift has been reflected in his views on faith. Asked by Miller, “Who do you look up to the most?”, Mr Musk responded: “The creator.”
“What’s your position on God?” she then asked.
Mr Musk replied: “God is the creator.”
“You don’t believe in God, though, do you?” Miller pressed.
To which Mr Musk said, “Well, I believe this universe came from something. People have different labels (for God).”
In the lead-up to last year’s presidential election, Mr Musk said that he had come to believe in the “teachings of Christ”, including “‘love thy neighbour’ and ‘turn the other cheek’, which is very important for forgiveness”.
While in a 2022 post on X, he wrote: “Jesus taught love, kindness and forgiveness. I used to think that turning the other cheek was weak and foolish, but I was the fool for not appreciating its profound wisdom.”
That was a sentiment he echoed in a 2024 chat with conservative personality Jordan Peterson. Though Mr Musk said he was “not a particularly religious person … I do believe the teachings of Jesus are good and wise”.
Originally published as ‘I believe’: Elon Musk surprises podcast host with about-face on God
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