To push development of e-cars, cheap rockets, and, ultimately, establishing a new industrial power base in preparation for the release of new technology. Am I close?
SpaceX is the development of next-generation rocketry, moving into the reusable technology that will dramatically reduce the cost of putting cargo into LEO. With the shuttle program gone, existing programs provided an incentive for developing this technology. With the advent of the BFR technology, large payloads and personnel can be moved into LEO and beyond at lower costs. He's establishing the infrastructure for an orbital economy.
He's planning on sending two anonymous "private citizens" on a lunar orbital flight. First non-government controlled survey of the dark side of the moon. With digital technology. That is bound to ruffle someone's feathers.
One bite at a time. We need the connection between them. One so irrefutable that it cannot be ignored.