In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves through Washington, billionaire Elon Musk has publicly raised concerns about automated systems within the U.S. government that he refers to as “magic money computers.
” In an explosive interview with Senator Ted Cruz, Musk claimed that these mysterious systems are generating federal payments “out of thin air,” leaving lawmakers and watchdogs baffled by the true scale of government spending.
This article takes a deep dive into Musk’s startling claims, the technology behind these systems, their implications for modern monetary policy, and the broader political fallout surrounding federal fiscal accountability.
During a high‑profile podcast appearance with Senator Ted Cruz, Elon Musk laid out what he described as a systemic problem within several federal agencies.
Musk explained that his research arm, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), had uncovered at least 14 autonomous payment systems operating within the U.S. Treasury and other departments.
According to Musk, these “magic money computers” function independently of traditional oversight mechanisms and are capable of disbursing funds without the rigorous checks and balances expected in federal financial management.
Musk’s provocative statement, “They just send money out of nothing,” suggests that these systems might be contributing to significant discrepancies between the reported federal spending figures and the actual outlays.
He warned that this automated process could be masking fiscal irregularities and undermining the accountability of the federal budget.
MAGIC MONEY ALERT@elonmusk says numerous government computers can make payments by creating money out of thin air without an actual ledger.
SENATOR TED CRUZ: So how does that work?
ELON MUSK: It just issues payments. pic.twitter.com/AWfGDf5GDh
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) March 17, 2025