Overview

• Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré has called Elon Musk a potential national security risk, citing his deep business ties with China and reported communications with Russian leaders.
• Musk's Tesla Shanghai factory, funded by $1.4 billion in loans from Chinese state-controlled banks, accounted for over half of Tesla's global deliveries in Q3 2024.
• China's laws allow the government to demand intelligence from companies operating in the country, raising concerns about Musk's access to sensitive U.S. information through his federal contracts.
• SpaceX, which holds a near-monopoly on U.S. rocket launches, is under federal review for Musk's failure to disclose meetings with foreign leaders as required by his security clearance.
• Honoré has urged the federal government to investigate Musk's foreign connections and consider alternatives to SpaceX for national security purposes.