Russia is prepared to offer political asylum to tech billionaire Elon Musk following his public feud with U.S. President Donald Trump, Dmitry Novikov, deputy chair of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said June 6.
"I think Musk is playing a completely different game, that he won't need political asylum, although if he did, Russia could certainly provide it," Novikov told the state-run news agency TASS.
The remarks came days after Musk's 130-day stint as head of a temporary federal commission ended on May 30, and amid deepening tensions between the Tesla CEO and Trump.
The feud began when Musk publicly criticized the administration's "Big Beautiful Bill," a sweeping tax proposal that economists warn could expand the U.S. deficit by $600 billion.
Trump responded by personally attacking Musk during his meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on June 5. In his Truth Social post, Trump said that Musk "just went crazy."
Musk replied on social media that Trump owed his electoral victory to him, claiming that without his influence, Democrats would have maintained control of the House.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and a frequent purveyor of anti-Western rhetoric, joked on X that Moscow would broker peace between "D and E" — referring to Trump and Musk — in exchange for Starlink shares.
"Don't fight, guys," Medvedev wrote.
Musk was a key figure in Trump's campaign and early administration. As head of the government efficiency task force, he led efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has provided over $37 billion in aid to Ukraine.
Despite initially supporting Ukraine and providing Starlink satellite systems to bolster military communications, Musk has increasingly echoed Russian narratives.
The billionaire has falsely claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky has little support in Ukraine and accused Kyiv of waging a "never-ending draft meat grinder."
He has also lobbied against U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, arguing it only prolongs the war — a line frequently used by Kremlin officials to discourage Western backing for Kyiv.
Musk's comments have earned praise from Russian officials and propagandists, including state TV hosts and military bloggers who now view the billionaire as a sympathetic figure.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
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