**Calls for a federal probe into Musk's communications with Russia come amid worries about national security and SpaceX's government contracts.**
**Senators Demand Investigation into Musk's Alleged Russian Ties**
**Senators Demand Investigation into Musk's Alleged Russian Ties**
**Two Democratic senators raise concerns over Elon Musk's interactions with Russian officials and potential national security risks.**
Two prominent Democrat senators have initiated calls for a federal inquiry into Elon Musk's purported communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his associates. Raising concerns for national security, Senators Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire have urged both the Pentagon and the Justice Department to explore if these interactions merit a review of the federal contracts awarded to Musk's company, SpaceX.
This scrutiny follows a report by The Wall Street Journal, alleging that Musk has engaged in "multiple, high-level conversations" with Putin since 2022, while reportedly maintaining contact with other senior Russian officials. Responding to the accusations, Musk took to his social media platform, previously referred to just as Twitter, to express his intent to discover the source of these claims, labeling them as false and the senators as "puppets" and "knuckleheads."
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Defense Department Inspector General Robert Storch, the senators highlighted significant questions regarding Musk’s reliability as a contractor and security clearance holder for the U.S. government. Musk, who is one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, currently holds numerous lucrative contracts linked to U.S. defense and intelligence, along with a top-secret level security clearance.
The senators alerted that the threats posed by Russia in the realm of space exploration directly jeopardize U.S. national security, referencing earlier reports this year about Russia deploying a weapon capable of targeting satellites in low-earth orbit. Concerned by Musk's lack of transparency, they noted that he has not disclosed his interactions with foreign officials, despite similar mandated disclosures for others holding advanced security clearance.
The letter underscores Musk's communications not just with Putin but also with Putin's deputy chief of staff, Sergei Kiriyenko—this is particularly worrisome given Kiriyenko's involvement in orchestrating Kremlin-driven propaganda from findings reported by the Justice Department.
"We strongly advocate for an immediate review to assess whether Musk’s associations with high-level Russian officials necessitate an investigation and potential exclusion from future U.S. government engagements," Reed and Shaheen asserted.
In the political arena, Musk has openly supported Donald Trump's recent re-election campaign, whereby he was appointed to spearhead a new "Department of Government Efficiency." Concurrently, he has been engaged in diplomatic initiatives, including calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, along with a visit to Iran's UN ambassador's residence in New York—despite the U.S. having no formal diplomatic ties with Tehran.
