According to The Wall Street Journal, sources with knowledge of the matter revealed that in 2022 and 2023, certain U.S. government agencies monitored foreign citizens entering and leaving Elon Musk’s properties.
The agencies involved in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. The probe focused on individuals with access to the tech billionaire. These people originated from Eastern Europe and other countries and were suspected of attempting to influence Musk. Until last week, Musk remained one of Trump’s closest advisors.
Currently, the investigation has not progressed to the stage of making accusations, and the situation remains uncertain. Officials from multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have reviewed the relevant reports.
This investigation started long before the current Trump administration took office, underscoring concerns about the number of foreign citizens surrounding Musk. Musk heads five companies, including SpaceX. He has signed sensitive contracts with the government and has had extensive access to government officials unprecedentedly.
The Trump Administration’s Stance and Musk’s Response
The current Trump administration has raised alarms about the impact of foreigners on the United States. Recently, Trump imposed travel bans and restrictions on more than a dozen countries and foreign students studying in U.S. universities.
Musk did not respond to requests for comment. The White House spokesperson redirected the request to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. The FBI declined to comment.
Musk’s super PAC provided over $250 million in funds, mostly from the billionaire himself, along with his other political donations. This support was instrumental in Trump’s return to power in January this year after a historic comeback.
Musk, born in South Africa, has acquired American citizenship. During the early days of the Trump administration, he served as a special government employee tasked with cutting the federal budget and led related government work. However, his alliance with Trump dissolved last week following a heated verbal confrontation, during which both exchanged insults and threats.
Concerns about Musk’s Foreign Ties
Even during the months of his cooperation with the government, Musk’s associations with foreign citizens have made the government uneasy.
Two individuals familiar with the operations of Musk’s super political action committee said that Musk’s travels with foreigners were so frequent that the staff of the super PAC he established last year to help Trump get re – elected began to worry about who attended his meetings and events.
An official from the “American PAC” organization stated that they must conduct thorough reviews to prevent foreign involvement in their work. Two campaign staff members also voiced concerns about Musk’s inner circle of foreign citizens.
Through his business ventures and status as the world’s richest person, Musk has built relationships with heads of state globally, sometimes in astonishing ways.
According to a Wall Street Journal report last October, since the end of 2022, Musk has maintained regular contact with Russian President Putin. It was reported that Musk’s interactions with foreign citizens led SpaceX’s lawyers to advise him against seeking higher safety permits, fearing he might have to explain these relationships or risk having the permits revoked.
As the CEO of SpaceX, Musk holds the highest – level security clearance, allowing him access to some national security secrets. SpaceX, founded by Musk in 2002, has been collaborating with national security agencies since its inception.
Related topics：
