In his first extensive media interview since his election, Pope Leo XIV sharply criticized the growing disparity between executive pay and workers’ earnings, with a pointed reference to Elon Musk’s proposed trillion-dollar compensation package at Tesla.

The pontiff argued that when chief executive officers earn hundreds of times more than ordinary employees, society risks losing its moral bearings.

Pope Leo recalled that around sixty years ago CEOs might have made four to six times what workers earned, whereas today that figure is in the region of six hundred times.

He asked what it means if wealth is treated as the only thing of value, cautioning that “we’re in big trouble” if that becomes the prevailing measure.

He singled out the news that Elon Musk might become the world’s first trillionaire under Tesla’s compensation scheme, stressing that the size and scale of the pay package raise profound ethical questions beyond mere financial success.

Under the proposed deal, Musk’s pay would be tied to ambitious benchmarks including massive growth in production, autonomous vehicle deployment, and overall market valuation.

Tesla’s board defended the proposal, saying Musk would only receive the payout if those lofty goals are met.

The interview, conducted by Elise Ann Allen for a forthcoming biography, also saw Pope Leo reflecting on his rapid transition into the papacy.

He described a steep “learning curve,” recalling how aspects of being a global religious leader—diplomatic responsibilities, moral leadership, mediation of social issues—were “very new” terrains.

He also expressed hope for peace in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and voiced concern that the United Nations has, in his view, lost some capacity to unite the world on multilateral challenges.

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago and the first pope from the United States, has made clear that issues such as economic justice, poverty and inequality will remain central in his advocacy.

The remarks signal that his papacy intends to grapple directly with the ethical implications of economic power and its concentration in a few hands — reflecting a thread of social teaching with renewed urgency in today’s global economic climate.