US conservative camp's 'Musk security threat theory' spreads..."Deep relationship with China"

Concerns are also spreading in conservatives about Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has emerged as the most powerful figure in the second Trump administration.

Reserve Army Lt. Gen. Russell Ornery wrote in the New York Times on the 31st local time that Musk, who maintains deep business ties with China, is not eligible to influence White House policy.

Reserve Lt. Gen. Ornery pointed out that Tesla is heavily dependent on China for now.

Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory is producing more than half of Tesla's global deliveries as of the third quarter of last year.

Tesla also borrowed at least $1.4 billion (about 2 trillion won) from a Chinese government-controlled bank to build its Shanghai Gigafactory.

According to China's current law, the Communist Party can demand various information from companies doing business in their own markets, which cannot rule out the possibility of demanding sensitive confidential information from Musk in the future.

Musk has gained access to U.S. government secrets as SpaceX, a space company that has held an exclusive position in the rocket launch market, has signed contracts with NASA and the Pentagon.

Musk's favorable attitude toward the Chinese Communist Party in the past is also cited as a reason for the growing concern.

In 2021, Musk praised President Xi Jinping for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, and the following year, 2022, he also said Taiwan should be made a special administrative district of China.

Because of this history, there are many concerns about Musk in the U.S. politics.

Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump's nominee for secretary of state, has also proposed legislation proposing contracts between federal agencies and Chinese-related companies, accusing Tesla of defending the Chinese Communist Party in the past.

Former Republican Congressman Chris Stewart, who was mentioned as a candidate for the Trump administration's Director of National Intelligence, also asked the House Intelligence Committee for a private briefing on Musk's relationship with China.

However, it is unclear how Trump will react to these concerns.

Reserve Lt. Gen. Ornery pointed out that if Musk proves to be deeply linked to China or Russia, he should come up with measures, including depriving him of confidential access.