Elon Musk, now the second-largest donor to Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and a major figure in the U.S. national security apparatus, has spoken regularly with Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The conversations, which the Journal said it confirmed with several current and former officials, involved Ukraine, Taiwan and assorted business matters—all of which have reportedly made some national security folks nervous.
At one point, as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Putin asked Musk not to extend satellite internet service to Taiwan, the Journal reports. At another point, Musk spoke with Putin’s chief propagandist, Sergei Kiriyenko, who has been involved in efforts to spread disinformation about the war in Ukraine and the U.S. presidential election. Musk also told a political scientist that he discussed Ukraine with Putin directly, according to the Journal.
The tech billionaire had initially voiced strong support for Ukraine and provided free internet in much of the country via SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service. Over time, however, SpaceX has increasingly restricted the use of Starlink in Ukraine and prevented the country’s military from using it as part of offensive operations.
The Journal’s revelations are especially concerning, given Musk’s deep involvement with both the federal government and Trump’s election campaign. Trump reportedly maintains his own personal relationship with Putin, whom he has called “smart” and “savvy.”
Musk’s SpaceX, meanwhile, holds major contracts with U.S. defense, intelligence and space agencies, and Musk personally holds a top-secret security clearance in connection with that work. (The Pentagon put Musk’s clearance under temporary review in 2019, after he smoked marijuana during a podcast taping with Joe Rogan.)
Neither Trump nor Musk have confirmed their dealings with Putin, though Trump did recently tell one interviewer that it would be “smart” to have such conversations. He has also said he thinks “we’ll get along with Russia” under his administration.
Trump has said he’ll make Musk part of that administration, as well, promising to appoint the tech billionaire to a prominent new position overseeing “government efficiency.” Musk has contributed nearly $120 million to Trump’s reelection via the candidate’s campaign and Musk’s own super PAC—including $43.6 million in the first 16 days of October alone. That makes him Trump’s second-largest backer after Timothy Mellon, the heir to the Mellon banking fortune.
