A former US lieutenant general said Sunday that Elon Musk, the tech billionaire intricately involved in President-elect Trump's transition, could pose a national security risk due to his ties to China and Russia. he warned.
Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré pointed to the Tesla and SpaceX CEO's business interests in China and his reported conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The fact that Mr. Musk spent $250 million to support Mr. Trump's reelection bid turns a blind eye to the national security risk he could pose to the next White House.” It does not grant permission,” Honoré wrote in the paper. New York Times editorial.
He added: “If Mr. Trump and his appointees mean what they say about taking a tough stance against America's adversaries, they will act without delay on this issue.” He continued. “There is too much danger to ignore what is in front of us.”
China is a major market for Musk's Tesla, which owns a factory in Shanghai. Honoré noted that Chinese law requires companies operating in the country to provide information upon request.
“This means that Mr. Musk's business dealings in China could require him to hand over sensitive information that he learned through his business interests or his closeness to President-elect Donald Trump. ” wrote the retired general.
Honoré also expressed concern about the tech mogul's comments on political issues related to China. Musk had previously praised China's “economic prosperity” and proposed making Taiwan a “special administrative region” of China, comments that were well-received by leaders in Beijing.
Mr. Musk's companies have extensive contracts with the U.S. government — Tesla and SpaceX have secured at least $15.4 billion in federal contracts over the past decade, according to a New York Times analysis.
Those contracts have come under scrutiny since the Wall Street Journal reported in October that Musk had been in regular contact with Putin since late 2022. In response to the report, two Democratic senators called for a federal investigation into Musk's involvement in the SpaceX contract.
Honoré added, “If a federal investigation reveals deep ties to China or Russia, the federal government should consider revoking Musk's security clearance.” “They should already be considering using alternatives to SpaceX's launch services.”
