Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), called Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly a "traitor" in a post on X after the senator shared details of his visit to Ukraine.
In a thread on March 9, Kelly posted photos from the trip, emphasizing that while everyone wants the war to end, any agreement must protect Ukraine’s security and not serve as a concession to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Musk responded directly to the post, accusing Kelly of betrayal.
Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut, swiftly replied, criticizing Musk’s stance.
"Traitor? Elon, if you don't understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do," he wrote on March 10.
Speaking to reporters later, Kelly dismissed Musk as "not a serious guy" and suggested he should “go back to building rockets” rather than engaging in political matters. The senator also accused Musk of prioritizing the interests of billionaires over the American people, pointing to his influence in government policies, including budget cuts affecting veterans’ services.
During his visit to Ukraine, Kelly met with government officials, embassy staff, and military leaders. He described the trip as emotional, stressing the urgency of delivering munitions and intelligence support to Ukrainian forces.
"This is existential for them, and again, over the past week or so, we've made it harder for them," he said, referring to recent U.S. policy shifts. Kelly warned that delays in providing military aid would lead to more Ukrainian casualties, adding, "They will stick with us. We stick with them. They will be there for us in the future, no matter what we need."
Musk’s comments come amid heightened tensions in U.S.-Ukraine relations, following a contentious Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The discussion escalated into a heated exchange, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance blaming Zelensky for the war, despite Russia’s full-scale invasion. The meeting ended without an agreement that would have granted the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources—an arrangement Kyiv had hoped would secure continued American military support.
Kelly, along with other Democratic lawmakers, has been vocal in opposing the Trump administration’s shift away from strong U.S. backing for Ukraine.
"If we abandon our ally Ukraine, we will be viewed by other countries including our other allies as untrustworthy and in the future we shouldn't expect their help," he posted on X.
Kate Tsurkan
