US senators seek investigation of Elon Musk’s SpaceX contracts over Russia’s Putin ties

Jack Reed and Jeanne Shaheen flag national security risks after Musk reportedly held talks with the Russian president

Reading Time:2 minutes

Published: 10:45am, 16 Nov 2024

Two Democratic US senators called for an investigation into Elon Musk’s involvement in contracts between the US government and his company SpaceX, citing national security concerns raised by his reported contact with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials.

The senators asked the departments of Defence and Justice in a letter on Friday to investigate whether the alleged communications “should force a review of Musk’s continued involvement in SpaceX’s contracts” with the government.

“These relationships between a well-known US adversary and Mr. Musk, a beneficiary of billions of dollars in US government funding, pose serious questions regarding Mr. Musk’s reliability as a government contractor and a clearance holder,” the letter says.

The two senators who signed the letter are Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who is also chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.

“Communications between Russian government officials and any individual with a security clearance have the potential to put our security at risk,” they wrote.

Musk’s role in the government, as well as access to sensitive information, is likely to expand when president-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Already he has emerged as a close ally and confident, joining Trump on calls with world leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, and being appointed to lead government cost-cutting efforts.