Tech billionaire and senior White House advisor, Elon Musk, ignited controversy on Monday by labeling Senator Mark Kelly a “traitor” following the lawmaker’s visit to Ukraine.
Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and Navy pilot, traveled to the war-torn country over the weekend and emphasized the importance of continued U.S. support.
Ukraine has been resisting Russia’s invasion for more than three years, and Kelly’s visit comes amid a shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
The administration has been pushing for a swift resolution to the conflict, pausing military aid to Kyiv and seeking closer ties with Moscow.
Kelly shared his thoughts on social media platform X, writing, “Just left Ukraine. What I saw proved to me we can’t give up on the Ukrainian people. Everyone wants this war to end, but any agreement has to protect Ukraine’s security and can’t be a giveaway to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”
He further criticized Trump’s approach, adding, “Donald Trump is trying to weaken Ukraine’s hand and we are owed an explanation.”
Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and a key donor to Trump’s re-election campaign, fired back with a sharp rebuke, replying,”You are a traitor.”
Kelly quickly responded, pushing back against Musk’s accusation,”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.”
As Ukraine and the U.S. engaged in negotiations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, discussions included the possibility of a partial ceasefire.
Trump has recently re-established communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin and increased pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reach a settlement, though without providing the security assurances Kyiv seeks.
Speaking to reporters, Kelly dismissed Musk’s remarks,
