Elon Musk has officially joined the elite trillionaire club, following SpaceX's historic initial public offering (IPO) on Friday. Bloomberg News reports that Musk’s ownership in the rocket company, combined with his stake in Tesla and the immediate market surge of SpaceX shares post-IPO, pushed his net worth beyond a phenomenal $1,000 billion.

Musk’s rise to trillionaire status coincides with an unprecedented level of public dislike paired with increased power. His 2024 support for Donald Trump’s campaign and subsequent involvement in the US government have not only stirred controversy but also garnered criticism from public health experts, including Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which claims his actions led to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Despite these challenges, Musk remains undeterred by mounting criticisms. His pay package from Tesla alone could be valued at a mind-boggling $1 trillion if certain targets are met. Moreover, while 1 billion of his SpaceX shares are tied up until the company lands humans on Mars, he can still access billions in cash via borrowing against these shares, all without paying taxes.

With SpaceX now open to public shareholders, Musk retains an astounding 80% voting control, allowing him to handpick the board of directors and circumvent potential legal challenges. The company is pushing for what it deems as the largest addressable market in history, leaving many to speculate on how such power might shape future space endeavors.