Elon Musk has regularly spoken with Vladimir Putin and faced 'implicit threats,' report says
Their discussions have been on topics ranging fro business, personal matters, and geopolitical tensions, the Journal reports, noting one meeting that saw Putin ask Musk to avoid activating his Starlink’s satellite internet services over Taiwan as a favor to China’s president. China is a major market for Musk’s Tesla (TSLA), which operates a sprawling factory in Shanghai.
Previously, it had been reported that negotiations to bring Starlink’s service to Taiwan had fallen apart over a requirement for a local entity to have a majority share of an eventual joint venture. Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs on Friday said it welcomes applications from international satellite forms to provide services.
Through SpaceX, Musk has received “top-secret” government clearance. The aerospace company has received at least $15.4 billion in government contracts over the years, including a $1.8 billion classified contract in 2021, and is the main rocket launcher for the Pentagon and NASA. The company conducted 90% of U.S. launches last year. Musk’s Tesla has notched another $352,000 in federal contracts.
