Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) dismissed Elon Musk’s recent attack on him, calling the billionaire “not a serious guy” and suggesting his only allegiance is to “billionaires like himself.”
The former Navy combat pilot and astronaut clashed with Musk after the tech mogul accused him of being a “traitor” for his support of Ukraine. Kelly had recently visited the war-torn country and voiced his commitment to ensuring any peace deal with Russia protects Ukraine’s security.
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Musk Calls Kelly a ‘Traitor’ Over Ukraine Support
Kelly shared photos and remarks about his visit, 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 Putin.”
Musk, responding on X, the platform he owns, wrote: “You are a traitor.”
Kelly swiftly fired back: “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.”
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‘He's Not a Serious Guy’
Speaking to reporters in Washington on Monday, Kelly dismissed Musk's remarks. “Obviously, he’s not a serious guy,” Kelly said.
Kelly also took aim at Musk's influence over government decisions, accusing him of slashing budgets to benefit billionaires at the expense of public service. “He’s like a 12-year-old. So I don’t take him seriously. I served our country in the Navy for 25 years. When I was 22 years old, I swore an oath to defend the Constitution. I’ve lived that oath my entire life. I’m not sure if Elon has sworn an oath to anything. If I was to guess, probably to billionaires like himself.”
Kelly also criticized Musk on MSNBC for firing veterans from his companies despite their strong performance. “The only oath I can think of that maybe Elon has sworn is an oath to his own checking account, to his pocketbook, an oath maybe to ruining the lives of veterans. I had veterans in my office last week who, after really good performance reports, found out that Elon Musk fired them for poor performance. He was ruining these people's lives … they did not deserve to get fired by an email from an unelected billionaire.”
Musk's History With Ukraine
Musk has been criticized in the past for his stance on Ukraine. In 2023, he reportedly blocked a Ukrainian military operation against Russia's navy by refusing to activate his Starlink satellite system in Crimea. In 2022, he suggested in a Twitter poll that Ukraine should allow Russia to take Crimea as part of a peace deal.
Kelly’s visit to Ukraine came amid growing concerns over President Donald Trump's approach to the war. Trump has suspended military aid, criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and pushed for negotiations that exclude Ukraine. Kelly said he spoke to a wounded Ukrainian soldier about the shift in U.S. policy and received a blunt response: “What the f***?”
Bernie Sanders Condemns Musk's Attack
Musk’s remarks drew backlash from lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). “It is really unspeakable. It really is. I think the American people are sick and tired of the wealthiest guy in the world running the United States government and calling, in this case, a guy who put his life on the line to defend us, a traitor. That's beyond the pale,” Sanders told CNN.
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