Russia Says Musk Can Flee If Trump Pushes Him Out
Elon Musk, 2022. Photo by Justin Pacheco. Public domain.
The world's richest man and the U.S. president were once political allies. Now, Elon Musk and Donald Trump are locked in a war of words — and Russia wants in on the drama.
An Unlikely Refuge
As tensions between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump reached a fever pitch in early June, a curious voice chimed in from Moscow. Dmitry Novikov, a senior member of Russia's parliament, told the state news agency TASS that Musk could count on Russia for political asylum if he ever needed it.
The remark might've seemed like a throwaway line if it weren't echoed gleefully and repeatedly by some of the most powerful political figures in Russia.
Within hours, the idea snowballed. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev posted a joking offer on Musk's own platform X (formerly Twitter), suggesting Russia could broker peace between "D and E" (Trump and Elon) in exchange for Starlink shares. Musk replied with a laughing emoji.
But others were more serious — at least in tone. Dmitry Rogozin, once Musk's rival as head of Russia's space agency, issued a recruitment-style message on X. "Elon @elonmusk, don't be upset! You are respected in Russia. If you encounter insurmountable problems in the U.S., come to us and become one of us - a 'Bars-Sarmat' fighter. Here you will find reliable comrades and complete freedom of technical creativity," Rogozin wrote, according to the New Republic. "We will, of course, resolve issues of citizenship and military ID. Please fill out the forms at this link. With respect to you."
The Fight That Sparked It All
This international trolling spree wasn't random. It erupted in the wake of a spectacular meltdown between Musk and Trump that unfolded publicly across social media, press statements, and political barbs. The feud started over Trump's proposed "One Big Beautiful Bill" — a sweeping package that would extend his tax cuts and bankroll projects like border security and infrastructure.
Musk, long an advocate for government restraint in spending, blasted the bill as fiscally irresponsible and "a disgusting abomination," according to the New Yorker.
Trump fired back, claiming Musk only lashed out because he scrapped EV mandates. In a Truth Social post reported by Newsweek, Trump claimed, "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!"
Musk hit harder. According to Newsweek, Musk wrote on X, "Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!"
Musk provided no evidence to verify his claim.
Russia Swoops In
As Musk and Trump traded jabs, the Kremlin and its orbit took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire and score a few PR points in the process.
Russian officials and propagandists began comparing Musk's predicament with that of Russian oligarchs who had fallen out with Vladimir Putin. They mentioned former billionaire Boris Berezovsky, who fled Russia and later died in exile, and Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner boss who died in a plane crash after challenging Putin's authority.
This parallel wasn't just for show. It signaled how Russia perceives the U.S. political system, where falling out with power can mean losing fortunes, influence, and safety. The Trump-Musk feud, viewed through that lens, looked eerily familiar to Russian eyes.
According to the Washington Post, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, posted a meme referencing the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, asking, "Why can't we all just get along?" Even Grok, Musk's own AI chatbot, got pulled into the saga. Dmitriev prompted Grok for a reconciliation strategy. The bot's advice? Private talks and public apologies.
Is It All Just Theater?
So far, Musk hasn't signaled he's considering asylum in Russia — or anywhere else. In fact, he has seemingly taken Grok's advice and deleted his more inflammatory posts about Trump, even expressing regret for his statements.
Still, the mere offer of sanctuary is telling. Russia isn't just playing diplomat here. It's exploiting an American political rift for spectacle, ridicule, and maybe, strategic advantage.
References: Russia Offers Political Asylum to Elon Musk Over Trump Feud | Russia Offers Elon Musk Asylum as Fight With Trump Intensifies | Russian Officials Delight in Trump-Musk Rift, Offer Mediation, Asylum | The Musk-Trump Divorce Is as Messy as You Thought It Would Be | Russia Responds to Trump-Musk Feud With Jokes, Jibes and Job Offers
