Two US Democratic senators are asking the Pentagon and law enforcement to look into Elon Musk’s conversations with Russian officials.
Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Jack Reed wrote a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Pentagon’s inspector general. They expressed concerns about national security because of Musk’s communications with Russia, including President Vladimir Putin.
The senators are worried that Musk’s involvement in SpaceX programs should be reviewed. This is because he has received billions of dollars from the US government for his space programs. The senators think this could affect his ability to work with the government and access classified information.
Musk has denied previous claims about talking to Putin about Ukraine. However, recent reports say he talked to Putin and another Russian official in October. This is a concern because the official, Sergei Kiriyenko, was charged by the US Justice Department for promoting Russian interests ahead of the US presidential election.
The senators think it’s “deeply concerning” that Musk talked to Kiriyenko. They are asking for an investigation into Musk’s communications with Russia. This comes as the US and Russia have a space rivalry due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Musk oversees SpaceX, which has contracts with the Pentagon and NASA. He also has a contract to develop a spy satellite network worth $1.8 billion. The senators think this could put national security at risk if Musk talks to Russian officials about classified information.
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