Elon Musk Denies Business Interests in Russia, Slams Podcaster as “Pompous Hypocrite”

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has made it clear that neither his electric vehicle company Tesla Inc. nor his rocket manufacturing company SpaceX have any interests in Russia. In a recent tweet, Musk stated, “I literally have zero interests [in] Russia. Tesla has no operations there, SpaceX directly competes with Russia for space launch and Starlink is a key asset of Ukraine.”

Musk’s comments came in response to a podcast where journalist Anne Applebaum suggested that Musk may have business interests in Russia. Musk also took aim at podcaster Sam Harris, calling him a “pompous hypocrite” and criticizing his views on lying and politics.

SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company, is a direct competitor to Russia’s Roscosmos in the field of space launches. In the first quarter of this year, SpaceX launched 31 missions, outperforming both China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and Roscosmos. Additionally, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has been activated for use in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country.

Earlier this year, Musk denied reports that SpaceX was selling Starlink terminals to Russia, stating that the satellites would not be used in the country. Similarly, Tesla does not have any physical presence in Russia, with no stores, superchargers, or service centers in the country according to the company’s website.

Musk’s clear stance on his companies’ lack of involvement in Russia comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West, with Musk positioning SpaceX and Starlink in support of Ukraine.