In an article published in the New York Times, Gen. Russell L. Honore reminds, among others, that Musk and his company SpaceX have already been placed under federal review for failing to provide details of meetings with foreign leaders, while saying such violations are “just the beginning of the worries.”
According to the retired military officer, close ties Elon Musk with the Chinese government should raise concerns for the future US administration, as they may pose a threat to US security and interests. Meanwhile, the technology giant is being groomed for one of the important positions in the future president's cabinet Donald Trump.
Elon Musk's close contacts with China. The general is sounding the alarm
Honoré, who commanded an American infantry division in South Koreaindicates, for example, that Musk borrowed at least $1.4 billion. from banks controlled by the Chinese governmentto help build Tesla's megafactory, which will account for more than half of Tesla's global shipments in the third quarter of 2024.
At the same time, the general adds that “China they have no tendency to give away,” noting that the law in force in this country stipulates that the Communist Party may request intelligence information from every company doing business there in exchange for a share of that country's markets.
“This means that Mr. Musk's business transactions in China may require him to provide sensitive, classified informationwhich he obtained thanks to his business interests or closeness to President-elect Donald Trump,” he adds.
USA. Elon Musk will sit in Donald Trump's cabinet
The close relationship between Musk and Trump initially raised eyebrows Washingtonwhich over time turned into a great fear. The two recently joined forces online to oppose the congressional spending billallegedly because she did not have the billionaire's approval.
Together with the former presidential candidate Vivekiem Ramaswamy Musk will soon become the head of the newly created group Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE).
Even Ramaswamy has expressed concern about potential national security threats surrounding Musk and China, stating in May 2023 that “there is no reason to believe that Elon won't jump around like a circus monkey when [chiński przywódca – red.] Xi Jinping she will call on him in times of need“.
American General Musku: The stakes are too high
What worries Honoré is also the fact that SpaceX has an almost “monopoly” on launching American rockets.
“The last thing they need United States“is to give China a potentially easier way to obtain classified intelligence and national security information,” he says.
Military however, he is concerned about whether the Trump administration will take such potential threats seriously.
“The fact that Mr. Musk spent a quarter of a billion dollars to help re-elect Trump does not make it new The White House the right to look the other way at the threats to national security it may pose,” he writes.
Finally, he states that “if Mr. Trump and his appointees mean what they say when they talk about being tough on America's adversaries, then will take action on this matter immediately. The stakes are too high to ignore what lies ahead“.
Source: New York Times