Elon Musk advised not to seek top US security clearance over concerns with foreign contacts, alleged drug use

Elon Musk’s position in the new Trump administration would normally come with a top security clearance. Here, though, there are unusual concerns.

Donald Trump’s decision to make Elon Musk joint-head of a new US government department, aimed at culling waste and boosting efficiency, is complicated by a few different factors.

First is the prospect of Mr Musk, who is CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter, gaining great influence, if not outright control, over the regulation of his own companies. That would be an issue for reasons too obvious to bother stating.

Second is the requirement for Mr Musk, as a senior government appointee, to pass the background check required for someone to obtain a high-level security clearance.

Elon Musk enjoying himself at a pro-Trump event during the election campaign. Picture: Ryan Collerd/AFP

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Mr Musk is already one of the American government’s most important defence contractors, given his role with SpaceX, and also Starlink. His companies have benefitted, over the years, from billions of dollars in government subsidies.

(One presumes, perhaps cynically, that those subsidies will not be targeted in his new mission to cut government spending.)

Since 2022, he has held a “top secret” security clearance. But that doesn’t include the most sensitive information available to government officials.

Joining the government itself, and obtaining a top-level security clearance, is a whole other step, beyond what Mr Musk has enjoyed before.

Overnight The Wall Street Journal reported SpaceX’s internal lawyers had advised Mr Musk not to seek the highest-level clearance.

That’s because of his alleged contacts with foreign nationals, chiefly Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his alleged drug use. To be clear, Mr Musk has never been investigated for, or charged with, any drug-related offence.

Mr Musk on stage during a Trump rally in early October. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

And at one in New York in late October. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP

However, the company’s lawyers have reportedly advised Mr Musk that seeking the top-level clearance would require him to answer questions about said alleged drug use.

The Department of Defence, which conducts security screenings, tends to frown upon drug use, alcohol abuse, criminal conduct and signs of allegiance to countries other than the US.

According to multiple US media outlets, Mr Musk is reported to have used a semi-legal drug, ketamine, as well as LSD, ecstacy and mushrooms.

The tech titan’s legal team has stressed that he’s never failed a drug test, despite frequent tests being carried out at SpaceX.

That all feels less important than his reported, repeated conversations with Putin, with whom he’s alleged to have been in regular contact since 2022.

That is the same year, of course, in which Putin invaded Ukraine.

That war continues. Starlink has aided the Ukrainians in their attempt to repel the Russian invasion, though Mr Musk himself has come under fire for repeating Russian talking points and suggesting a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that would see Putin take permanent control of occupied Ukrainian territory.

Vladimir Putin, with whom Mr Musk has reportedly been in regular contact since 2022. Picture: Vyacheslav Prokofyev/AFP

The obvious extra factor here is Donald Trump’s re-election to the presidency last month, and his ability to circumvent the usual process for granting security clearances.

Mr Musk spent well over $US200 million to help Mr Trump get elected, and has become one of the President-elect’s closest political allies and advisers. Mr Musk has followed him around the country to UFC fights, NFL games and other events, becoming an almost permanent presence in the Trump entourage since election day.

That investment of hundreds of millions of dollars, by the way, has unambiguously paid off, with Mr Musk’s wealth growing by almost $US200 billion since Mr Trump won the election against Kamala Harris.