Diogenes
Nemo me impune lacessit
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a linchpin of U.S. space efforts, has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022.
Musk has emerged this year as a crucial supporter of Donald Trump’s election campaign, and hopes to find a role in a future Trump administration. While the U.S. and its allies have isolated Putin in recent years, Musk’s dialogue could reinforce Trump’s expressed desire to cut a deal over the war in Ukraine.
At the same time, the contacts also raise potential national-security concerns, given Putin’s current stance.
Musk has forged deep business ties with U.S. military and intelligence agencies, giving him unique visibility into some of America’s most sensitive space programs. SpaceX, which operates the Starlink service, won a $1.8 billion classified contract in 2021 and is the primary rocket launcher for the Pentagon and NASA.
Musk has a security clearance that allows him access to classified information.
