Musk’s Presence on Trump-Zelensky Call Raises Concerns About Influence, Potential Conflicts
Tech tycoon Elon Musk’s participation in a call between US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky the day after the election has sparked concerns about his growing influence and potential conflicts of interest, CNN reports.
The call, which lasted about seven minutes, was reportedly initiated by Zelensky to congratulate Trump on his victory and thank Musk for his support of Ukraine through Starlink.
However, the billionaire’s presence on the call has raised eyebrows given his complex and controversial role in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Musk, whose pro-Trump super PAC spent over $118 million in the 2024 campaign, has also received billions of dollars in federal contracts from NASA, the military, and other US government agencies.
Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service has played a crucial role in providing communication and internet access to Ukrainian forces, particularly in areas where cell service has been disrupted. However, Musk’s actions surrounding Starlink have also attracted criticism. He has reportedly limited the service’s access in areas like Crimea, and a recent biography by Walter Isaacson claims that Musk secretly ordered his engineers to turn off Starlink near Crimea in 2022 to prevent a Ukrainian attack on the Russian naval fleet.
Concerns about Musk’s potential ties to Russia have also grown, fueled by reports of regular communication between him and President Vladimir Putin since late 2022.
