Elon Musk calls Senator Mark Kelly a 'traitor' over Ukraine support
The Hindu
Former astronaut Mark Kelly visits Ukraine amid conflict, sparking backlash from Elon Musk and political figures.
Tech billionaire and senior White House advisor Elon Musk called Senator Mark Kelly a "traitor" on Monday (March 10, 2025) after he visited Ukraine and said it was important that Americans stand with the war-torn country.
Mr. Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and U.S. navy pilot, visited Ukraine - which has been battling a Russian invasion for more than three years - over the weekend.
His trip comes at a time when President Donald Trump is seeking a quick end to the conflict and upending U.S. foreign policy with his pivot to Moscow and pause of U.S. military aid to Kyiv.
"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 (Russian President Vladimir) Putin," Kelly said on social media platform X.
"Donald Trump is trying to weaken Ukraine's hand and we are owed an explanation," Kelly added in another post about his visit.
Mr. Musk, the world's richest person and Trump's top campaign donor, responded to Kelly on X by saying, "You are a traitor."
Mr. Kelly hit back, writing: "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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