Elon Musk, the billionaire businessman and head of the Government’s efficiency department, called Democratic Senator Mark Kelly a “traitor” in an X post after Kelly published that Ukraine had visited during the weekend.
Kelly, In a thread in x On Sunday night, he published photos of his visit to Ukraine and wrote that “everyone wants this war to end, but any agreement has to protect the security of Ukraine and cannot be a gift for Putin.”
In a response to the thread, Musk replied: “You are a traitor.”
Senator Mark Kelly in Washington, November 20, 2025 and Elon Musk in Washington, on March 9, 2025.
Getty images
Kelly, former Navy and Astronaut pilot, responded in a separate publication in X.
“Traitor? Elon, if you do not understand that defending freedom is a basic principle of what makes the United States great and keeps us safe, perhaps you should leave those of us who do it,” Kelly wrote, whose recent trip marked his third visit to Ukraine since 2023.
Senator Mark Kelly visits Ukraine in a photo he published in his account in X.
@Senmarkkelly/x
Musk’s comments, one of the closest advisors of President Donald Trump, occur weeks after an explosive meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval office that became a shout match. During the surprising exchange, Trump and vice president JD Vance rebuked Zelenskyy for his war management, falsely blaming the Ukrainian leader for a conflict that began when Vladimir Putin de Russia launched a large -scale invasion.
After the meeting, Zelenskyy left without signing an agreement that would have given access to the United States to the mineral resources of Ukraine, which the country would hope would ensure the continuous flow of US military support while fighting Russia.
Trump’s administration has embarked on a dramatic pivot away from the “Ironclad” support of Ukraine practiced by the administration of former President Joe Biden. Trump has falsely blamed Ukraine for starting war with Russia, called Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and frozen military help and intelligence support in an attempt to force Ukraine to make concessions to Russia.
Kelly, along with other Democrats, has criticized Trump’s approach to Ukraine.
“If we abandon our ally of Ukraine, other countries saw them as other allies as non -reliable and in the future we should not wait for their help.” Kelly posted in X.
Elon Musk arrives at President Donald Trump’s speech at a joint session of Congress in the Chamber of the Capitol Chamber in Washington, on March 4, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Images
Kelly and Musk have fought in the past. When Musk attacked the Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen last month, calling him “an idiot”, Kelly and his brother Scott Kelly, also astronaut, they retreated.
“Hi @elonmusk, when you finally have the impudence to climb a rocket ship, come and talk to the three of us.” Kelly wrote.