Musk calls Sen. Kelly a 'traitor' over trip to Ukraine, Kelly hits back
Elon Musk, the wealthy entrepreneur and leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, accused Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of being a "traitor" on X after Kelly shared photos from his weekend trip to Ukraine. Kelly posted several images on X Sunday evening, stating: "Everyone wants this war to end, but any agreement has to protect Ukraine's security and can't be a giveaway to Putin." Musk directly replied: "You are a traitor."
Kelly, who served as a Navy pilot and astronaut, fired back on X: "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." This visit marked Kelly's third journey to Ukraine since 2023.
Kelly expanded his critique when speaking to reporters, dismissing Musk as "not a serious guy" who should "go back to building rockets." Kelly added: "He said he's slashed and burned the federal government to make room for a giant tax cut for billionaires like himself. I've sworn an oath to this country. I've flown in combat. I've served in the Navy for 25 years. It appears to me the oath that Elon Musk stands by is the oath to billionaires – make their lives easier, not the American people, not veterans. I mean, he's firing workers at VA hospitals."
Kelly described his Ukraine visit as "emotional" at times, noting meetings with Ukrainian officials, embassy staff, and military leaders. "This is existential for them, and again, over the past week or so, we've made it harder for them," Kelly explained. He emphasized Ukraine's urgent need for munitions and intelligence to prevent additional casualties.
"If they don't get the munitions that are sitting on the other side of the border, more Ukrainians will die," Kelly warned. "These folks, I tell you, my conversations with them, they will stick with us. We stick with them. They will be there for us in the future, no matter what we need."
This clash with Musk, one of President Donald Trump's closest advisors, follows a recent heated meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. That encounter reportedly escalated into a shouting match where Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelenskyy's handling of the war, incorrectly blaming him for a conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion under Vladimir Putin.
After this encounter, Zelenskyy departed without signing a proposed agreement that would have granted the United States access to Ukrainian mineral resources. Ukraine had hoped this deal would ensure continued American military aid in their fight against Russia.
The Trump administration has dramatically shifted away from the steadfast support Ukraine received under former President Joe Biden. Trump has incorrectly accused Ukraine of initiating the conflict with Russia, labeled Zelenskyy a "dictator," and suspended military assistance and intelligence sharing to pressure Ukraine into making concessions to Russia.
Kelly, alongside other Democratic lawmakers, has openly criticized Trump's handling of Ukraine relations. "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," Kelly stated on his X account.
This is not the first clash between Kelly and Musk. Last month, when Musk called Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen "an idiot," both Mark Kelly and his brother Scott Kelly, also an astronaut, defended their colleague. "Hey @ElonMusk, when you finally get the nerve to climb into a rocket ship, come talk to the three of us," Kelly posted in response.
