Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin since 2022, according to a report – raising fresh security concerns in both the US and Europe.
Musk, whose America PAC is helping to bankroll Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, has spoken to the Russian president on the phone about business and geopolitical matters, officials with knowledge of the alleged conversations told The Wall Street Journal.
On one of the alleged calls, Putin reportedly asked Musk for “a favor” on behalf of Chinese leader Xi Jinping not to activate Starlink satellite services over Taiwan, according to the Journal.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed one telephone call took place between Musk and Putin where they discussed “space as well as current and future technologies,” the outlet reported, but denied there had been regular conversations.
The Independent has contacted Musk for comment. Musk did not respond to requests for comment from the Journal.
The alleged contact raises potential national security concerns due to Putin’s frosty relations with the US and his ongoing war in Ukraine as the presidential election looms.
The Journal reported that the Biden administration has not raised concerns about any “possible security breaches” by Musk.
An unnamed source aware of the alleged conversations between Musk and Putin told the paper that the US government is facing something of a “dilemma” because it is “so dependent” on SpaceX’s technology.
Musk has forged strong ties within the US intelligence and military services through his companies. The Tesla CEO’s SpaceX company holds multi-billion-dollar contracts with NASA and the Pentagon, The New York Times reported this week.
The company launches national security satellites into orbit and NASA contracts it to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.
“They don’t love it,” the source told the Journal, referring to Musk’s alleged contact with Putin.
Just last week, the billionaire referred to his security clearance level while rallying for Trump in Pennsylvania.
“I do have a top-secret clearance,” he said. “But, I’d have to say, like most of the stuff that I’m aware of… the reason they keep it top secret is because it’s so boring.”
A Pentagon spokesperson told the Journal it does not comment on an individual’s security clearance.
Musk has previously refuted criticism he is “pro-Russia.” On October 4, he posted on X about his company’s support for Ukraine. “SpaceX’s out of pocket cost to enable & support Starlink in Ukraine is ~$80M so far,” he said. “Our support for Russia is $0. Obviously, we are pro Ukraine.”
Musk endorsed Trump for president earlier this year and since then, his support for the Republican has been unwavering. He is now Trump’s second biggest financial backer, according to Forbes, donating almost $120 million through his PAC.
Appearing on stage with Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month, Musk claimed the former president was the only candidate “to preserve democracy in America.”
Trump, meanwhile, has previously claimed Putin “would never have gone into Ukraine” if he were president and has touted his “very good relationship” with him several times.
Putin denied having any contact with Trump at a conference yesterday following reports from Bob Woodward’s book that the pair have spoken “several times” since the Republican left the White House in 2021.
The Trump campaign told the newspaper that Musk is a “once-in-a-generation industry leader and our broken federal bureaucracy could certainly benefit from his ideas and efficiency.”
“As for Putin, there’s only one candidate in the race that he did not invade another country under, and it’s President Trump,” the spokesperson said.
“President Trump has long said that he will re-establish his peace through strength foreign policy to deter Russia’s aggression and end the war in Ukraine.”
