Elon Musk denies any recent conversations with Putin
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., joins 'Special Report' to discuss Musk, Putin and other key topics.
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk denied a report he engaged in correspondence or contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in regard to the Ukraine invasion, but the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee warned the world's richest man not to get "over his skis" in foreign affairs.
Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, who himself is the second-richest member of Congress, told Fox News that Musk previously interjected in the China-Taiwan situation.
"I worry in terms [of] whether Mr. Musk gets a little over his skis and thinks he can negotiate a peace treaty with Russia and Ukraine," Warner said. "He's even been weighing in on Taiwan and China, which very much worries me as well."
Musk recently told the Financial Times that China should rule Taiwan similarly to the "special administrative zone" of Hong Kong. That report drew a rebuke from Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-Chang, who retorted that the billionaire "doesn't know much" about Taiwan and "doesn't understand cross-strait relations."
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U.S. Sen. Mark Warner gestures during a rally in Richmond, Va., Saturday Oct. 31, 2020. Warner faces Republican Daniel Gade in the Nov. 3 election. ((AP Photo/Steve Helber))
That back-and-forth came days after Musk tweeted a Twitter poll asking whether the proper solution to the Russia-Ukraine war is that elections of "annexed regions" are redone under United Nations supervision, and Russia "leaves, if that is the will of the people," – Crimea is "formally part of Russia … since 1783 until Khrushchev's mistake – the Crimean water supply is assured and Ukraine remains "neutral."
The former chief editor of the Chinese Communist Party's newspaper Global Times responded by threatening that Musk will be "taught a lesson" if he doesn't stay out of the Russia-Ukraine affair.
Hu Xijin, the CCP media member, was the individual who previously suggested House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's plane could be shot down if she went to Taiwan.
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Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Musk dismissed the report on Twitter, saying, "No, it is not. I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space."
On "Special Report," Warner warned Musk is purportedly "very dependent upon the Communist Party in China for the production of Tesla batteries."
"But I want to get more information. And I think my hope is I have more to say on this – It will be in conjunction with some of my Republican colleagues, because I worry when folks that may not have that much specific knowledge of what really is going on the ground, try to intervene in very, very delicate international circumstances."
In response to later questions about President Biden demurring on whether a recession is coming under his watch, Warner said it would be irresponsible for any U.S. president to project a recession.
He said United Kingdom Prime Minister Liz Truss won't do that either, even though her country is also gripped by economic downturn.
As to whether billions in federal coronavirus aid spending contributed to the inflation and recession talk, Warner said that knowing what he knew at the time, he would support it again.
"I think the downside risk was too high," he said.