Where is Elon Musk from? DOGE exit raises questions on world’s richest man’s citizenship

May 29, 2025 10:56 AM IST

Following his exit from the Trump administration, questions regarding Elon Musk’s nationality and citizenship have once again surfaced.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has officially announced his exit from the Department of Government Efficiency of the Trump administration. Taking to X, the tech mogul thanked US President Donald Trump for the “opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.”

Elon Musk stands as he is recognized by US President Donald Trump during Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.(AFP File)

However, as Musk leaves the Trump administration, questions regarding his nationality and citizenship have once again surfaced.

Where is Elon Musk from?

Elon Musk is not a natural-born American. The tech mogul hails from South Africa. Born and raised in Pretoria, Musk’s mother was a Canadian citizen, which paved the way for him to obtain Canadian citizenship at 17 years old.

Due to this, Musk moved to Canada where he completed his higher education at Queen’s University, Ontario.

In 1992, Musk then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania through a student visa. This shift to the United States allowed Musk to become the tech mogul he is today.

Musk’s move to America

After joining the University of Pennsylvania, Musk earned a degree in physics and economics from the Wharton School of Business.

In 1994, Musk then held two internships in Silicon Valley while he was in the US on a student visa. Later on, Musk transitioned from a student to H-1B visa and began working.

from 2001 to 2002, Musk worked to build affordable rockets and founded SpaceX in May 2002, the same year he became a US citizen. Due to US allowing multiple citizenships, Musk is officially a citizen of the US, Canada and South Africa.

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