Two prominent Democratic senators are calling for a federal investigation into Elon Musk's reported interactions with Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin. Citing concerns over Musk's potential influence on national security, Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of both the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, urged the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Justice Department (DOJ) to scrutinize these alleged contacts.
In a letter sent Friday to Defense Department Inspector General Robert Storch and Attorney General Merrick Garland, the senators pressed for a review of the security implications of Musk's communications, particularly in light of his federal contracts through SpaceX. "These relationships between a well-known U.S. adversary and Mr. Musk, a beneficiary of billions of dollars in U.S. government funding, pose serious questions regarding Mr. Musk's reliability as a government contractor and a clearance holder," the lawmakers wrote.
The Wall Street Journal reported in October that Musk has been in regular communication with Putin since late 2022. According to sources cited by the Journal, their conversations touched on personal matters, business issues, and geopolitical tensions, with some discussions allegedly involving other high-ranking Russian officials, such as Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin's first deputy chief of staff. In one reported exchange, Putin purportedly asked Musk to refrain from activating SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet over Taiwan to appease Chinese President Xi Jinping. SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment.
Reed and Shaheen voiced alarm over Musk's influence in national security, given that SpaceX holds billions of dollars in contracts with the DOD, including a classified $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office and responsibilities as a prime contractor for the Space Force's National Security Space program. "Space equipment is at the crux of the communications that underpin our most sensitive military and intelligence operations," the senators noted. "Russia's ambitions in the space domain pose a direct threat to U.S. national security."
Further heightening their concerns, CBS News reported that Musk recently met with Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, in New York. This meeting raised additional questions, given that the U.S. has no formal diplomatic relations with Iran.
In a separate communication to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, the senators underscored their apprehension about SpaceX's integral role in national security. "Communications between Russian government officials and any individual with a security clearance have the potential to put our security at risk," they emphasized, pointing to strict reporting protocols for such interactions.
Musk's evolving political involvement adds another layer to the scrutiny. The billionaire has emerged as a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, donating over $130 million to his campaign and engaging in key advisory roles, including being tapped to co-lead a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency alongside businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Musk's dual role as a government contractor and policy advisor has prompted ethics experts to raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest, particularly as he works with agencies that hold contracts with his companies, SpaceX and Tesla.
The senators' call for an investigation comes amid broader geopolitical tensions, with recent incidents underscoring Russian ambitions in space and cyberspace. Reed and Shaheen highlighted the Pentagon's warning in May that Russia launched an anti-satellite weapon, a move Moscow later dismissed as "fake news." The senators also referenced the DOJ's seizure of 32 internet domains allegedly used by Russian intelligence agents to target Americans.
The DOJ confirmed receipt of the senators' letter but declined further comment. The Pentagon has not issued a statement. Musk's representatives, including those at SpaceX, have yet to publicly respond to the calls for an investigation.
