- Elon Musk’s Friday visit to the Pentagon Criticism pulled and emphasized the connections of its companies to both the federal government and China. The billionaire rocket company Spaceex Has 22 billion US dollars with the federal government. In China, musk Tesla operates its largest factory, Gigafactory Shanghai, which produced about half of all Tesla vehicles from last year.
Elon Musk visited the Pentagon Friday for a briefing about China, which underlined the constantly growing influence of the billionaire on the Trump government and the deep connections of its companies to both the federal government and China.
Musk was originally supposed to receive a briefing about strictly secret information related to a potential war with China. The New York Times reportedAlthough defense officer later said he would receive a not classified briefing Wall Street Journal. Defense Minister Pete Hegseth and President Trump both denied that Musk visited the Pentagon to get strictly secret information about a possible war with China, as was reported by the Just Before visiting Musk Friday.
In front of reporters in the Oval Office, Trump found that Musk would not see strictly secret information about a potential war with China and mentioned That the billionaire’s business could play a role.
“We don’t want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you whether we have done it, we are very well equipped to deal with it, but I don’t want to show anyone, but you would certainly not show it to a businessman,” said Trump. “Elon has business in China and might be susceptible to it.”
Whatever he received (he replied “Why should I tell you?” On the question of a reporter on the topic of the meeting), the potential high-ranking nature of his visit to Pentagon has taken the exam.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (DN.Y.), who is also a high -ranking member of the Senate Committee for Armed Forces, wrote in a contribution that Musk should not have been in the Pentagon.
“Elon Musk is a not elected, self -interested billionaire without shops near the pentagon,” wrote Gillibrand in one post On X.
It is unclear whether other defense companies would submit complaints based on the access of Musk, but even if they do it, they would exist in court, said Anat Alon-Beck, legal professor for Western Reserve.
“Nobody promised the same access to this type of information,” said Alon-Beck Assets. “We always had people – even with the previous administrations – access to others who don’t. So it’s not just about musk.”
Nevertheless, Musk’s business has a deep relationship with China. His EV manufacturer Tesla has been selling vehicles in the country for a decade and musk has often spoken positively about the country. In 2023, the CEO said during an audio interview with the American legislators in its social media network X.
“I have some interests in China, but to be honest I think China is underestimated and I think the people in China are really great and there is a lot of positive energy there” said at the time.
His “legitimate interests” and participation in China include the following:
- Tesla’s largest factory, Gigafactory Shanghai, is located in China. Half of the Tesla vehicles worldwide was shown there last year.
- Despite a recent 49% waste of deliveriesChina is still one of the largest markets in Tesla behind the USA
- The Chinese government reports “searched assuranceThis musk would not sell Starlink in China that Finance times reported. Last year Musk announced Starlink components in Taiwan to move production to other countries, which means that “geopolitical concerns. “”
In the United States, SpaceX is a great government contractor with around 22 billion US dollars in government contracts. According to his CEO. His subsidiary Starlink helps the Pentagon to offer internet access in remote environments.
According to A, Tesla received statutory creditors of 11.4 billion US dollars from federal and state governments Washington Post analysis. The companies of Musk have a cumulative government contracts, loans, subsidies and tax credits worth 38 billion US dollars in the amount of 20 years post reported.
This story was originally on Fortune.com