• The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin have been in secret talks since 2022.
• Many Washington officials are now calling for an investigation into the report.
• A former Defense Department analyst said such a relationship could raise national security concerns.

NASA Administrator bill nelson A growing number of Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into The Wall Street Journal report It was stated that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Less than a day after The Journal, citing current and former U.S., European and Russian officials, reported that Musk and Putin had been in regular talks since 2022, where they exchanged views on “personal matters, business matters.” Then, many Washington officials began to press for an investigation. and geopolitical tensions.”

Musk did not respond to Business Insider’s requests for comment. One expression The official SpaceX account about Musk’s reposted X described The Journal’s report as an “incredibly misleading story” based on “completely unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources.”

Nelson said on Friday: Semaphore Searching among Musk richest man in the worldand if true, it would be “alarming” for Putin, especially for NASA and the Department of Defense. Nelson added that The Journal’s report should be investigated, but did not specify which agency would review it.

That same day, Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said: Policy He said the Defense Department should investigate Musk to make sure his alleged actions “do not harm” the country’s national security.

Senator Jeanne ShaheenTrump, a New Hampshire Democrat and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, repeated similar calls on Friday. Publish on X.

NASA representatives, Representative Smith and Senator Shaheen, did not respond to requests for additional comment from BI.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied The Journal’s report, saying Putin had only one phone call with Musk and that they discussed space and future technologies.

In a statement to Business Insider, a Department of Defense spokesperson said the Department of Defense was aware of The Journal’s reports but “was unable to confirm the accuracy of these reports” and referred BI to Musk “to discuss his private communications.”

Why are Musk’s international ties important?

billionaire’s SpaceX has become a major player in federal space exploration. In 2021, it won a confidential $1.8 billion contract for a construction project. satellite network in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the agency that manages spy satellites. The astronautics company also provided rockets and other equipment. Pentagon And NASA.

Musk for his work with the federal government through SpaceX security clearance This gives him access to some confidential information.

Steven Stransky, a former advisor to both the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council, told BI that having ties to a foreign country is not an inherently disqualifying factor for a security clearance.

Musk’s ties to foreign governments and leaders would be taken into account before granting him such permission.

“The security clearance decision process looks at a variety of factors, and undue foreign influence is just one of those factors,” said Stransky, now a partner at the law firm Thompson Hine. he said.

While the level of influence other people have over the billionaire is unclear, Musk’s personal relationships could be of interest to the government, given his security clearance and professional proximity to state secrets, Stansky said.

Robert English, a former Defense Department policy analyst who holds a top-level security clearance and current director of Central European studies at the University of Southern California, said that generally anyone with a “close relationship” with Putin will not be given a security clearance.

The Journal quoted two people familiar with the matter as saying in one of his speeches: Putin asked Musk refrain from activating Starlink satellite internet service on behalf of Taiwan; China’s leader Xi Jinping.

“Even if Musk didn’t give in to this request, that’s a lot of power in the hands of this person,” English said.

The existence of an ongoing Musk-Putin relationship could be further complicated by the billionaire tech leader’s recent entry into US politics.

Both Trump and Musk said the billionaire is likely running for president. former presidential candidate cabinet. In a speech in September, Trump said he planned to form an administration if re-elected. government efficiency commission It will be overseen by Musk, who the Tesla CEO said he “can’t wait” to run.

“If Musk is not fully loyal to the United States or has traded with our enemies, it’s important to know that now,” English said. he said.