An Exclusive Investment Circle Gets a Congressional Member

Most people can't invest in xAI, Elon Musk's private artificial intelligence venture behind the Grok chatbot and deeply integrated with his X social media platform. The company recently raised $20 billion in a Series E round that valued it north of $200 billion, but access to that deal was limited to deep-pocketed institutional investors and a select few individuals.

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) made the cut. According to a disclosure tracked by the MarketDash Government Trades page, she invested between $100,000 and $250,000 in xAI on December 15. CongressTrading flagged the unusual move on social media: "Woah, @elonmusk is allowing sitting congresswoman @replisamcclain to invest in @xai."

The funding round brought in heavyweight institutional money. Participants included NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO), Fidelity, Baron Capital Group, Valor Equity Partners, Stepstone Group, MGX, and the Qatar Investment Authority. Musk thanked investors on X, writing: "Congrats to the @xAI team and thank you to investors for your faith in our company."

For context on investor appetite for Musk ventures, a May 2025 MarketDash poll asked readers which Musk company they'd most want to invest in. Starlink and SpaceX tied for first with 27% each. xAI came in third at 19%, actually beating Tesla Inc (TSLA) at 16%. The funding round adds another win for Musk, whose net worth exceeds $600 billion according to Bloomberg, making him the world's richest person.

McClain's Trading History Draws Scrutiny

Members of Congress can legally invest in private companies, provided they disclose the investments just as they do with stock trades. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has disclosed private investments before, including in Databricks.

But McClain's trading activity has raised red flags. MarketDash previously flagged her trading history after she filed hundreds of stock transactions late in August. Among those trades was Palantir Technologies, which has surged substantially since her purchase. Given Palantir's extensive government contracts, lawmakers who own the stock face extra scrutiny.

McClain's 2025 trading history includes hundreds of stock purchases, with multiple buys of Tesla stock throughout the year.

The Irony of Musk's Past Criticism

Here's where things get interesting. Musk has been vocal about congressional trading in the past, questioning how members of Congress have added so dramatically to their wealth while in office. In February 2025, he quote-tweeted a post highlighting several Democratic members whose net worth had grown significantly since taking office.

McClain's wealth has increased by millions of dollars in recent years, according to data from Quiver Quantitative. Now, with her stake in xAI, her net worth could climb even higher if Musk's AI company continues its trajectory. The billionaire who once questioned congressional wealth accumulation may soon find himself having contributed to it directly.