U.S. House committee leaders John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi warned that Beijing may attempt to leverage Elon Musk to gain favorable U.S. policies. They believe the Chinese Communist Party may use Musk, a key business figure with interests in China, to influence negotiations with Washington. Moolenaar expressed concern over Musk’s potential impact on U.S. policy, especially regarding Taiwan and South China Sea navigation. While the White House claims Musk has no role in foreign policy, concerns persist that Trump could compromise on core U.S. interests during negotiations with China, especially given Musk’s close ties to the Trump administration.
Washington:
The leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties on the U.S. House of Representatives’ select committee focused on China cautioned on Tuesday that Beijing may attempt to leverage Elon Musk in order to secure more favorable policies from the U.S., emphasizing that Washington needs to counter any such attempts.
Committee chair John Moolenaar, a Republican, and Democratic ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi expressed their belief that the Chinese Communist Party aims to utilize American business leaders like Musk, who have vested interests in China, to further its objectives in discussions with Washington.
“Regarding Elon Musk, I do believe that the CCP will try to exploit any possibility,” Moolenaar stated during an event organized by the Brookings Institution in Washington.
“Will there be efforts to ensure that his role does not sway China policy? I believe so,” Moolenaar remarked when questioned if Congress should play a part in stopping Beijing from negotiating with the White House via Musk.
Neither Musk, the White House, nor China’s embassy in Washington provided immediate comments when contacted.
China is currently facing urgent issues. More than a month into his second term, President Donald Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on Chinese products, advocated for stricter limits on Chinese investments in the U.S., and appointed hardliners on China to significant positions.
As the world’s wealthiest person and one of Trump’s top sponsors for the 2024 election, Musk may be appealing to Beijing as a potential intermediary to Trump, given that he has established himself as one of the president’s closest advisers.
Trump has appointed Musk to spearhead a key initiative aimed at drastically downsizing the federal government.
The billionaire has also maintained relationships with high-ranking Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, for several years.
China might also have the capacity to offer Musk what he seeks. His primary business interest in China is Tesla, the electric vehicle company he co-founded and leads as CEO. Tesla delivered 36.7% of its vehicles to Chinese customers last year, making it its second-largest market globally in terms of sales.
However, Tesla’s market share in China has decreased as local electric vehicle manufacturers have expanded, and it has encountered regulatory hurdles regarding the implementation of its self-driving features, while regulators have permitted Chinese companies to advance.
In addition to Tesla, some of Musk’s other ventures, such as SpaceX, a commercial rocket and satellite firm, and social media platform X—which is banned in China—are considered security threats by Beijing.
CIRCUMVENTING CHINA HAWKS
Krishnamoorthi mentioned at the Brookings event that Beijing perceives Musk as a means to bypass the hardliners on Trump’s national security team, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.
“They clearly see him as an asset in negotiations, a way to evade Rubio, a means to sidestep Waltz, and to avoid those they deem less favorable towards their issues,” Krishnamoorthi stated.
“I sincerely hope that the president will be attentive to everyone’s perspectives,” he added.
The lawmakers did not provide specific evidence to support their claims.
The White House has clarified that Musk does not possess decision-making power within the Trump administration and that his efficiency initiative does not directly influence U.S. foreign policy.
Trump’s positive remarks about Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have increased fears that he may pursue a significant agreement with Beijing that excludes Taiwan. China regards the island as part of its territory, while Taipei has traditionally relied on Washington as its principal backer, causing considerable tension for China.
Krishnamoorthi expressed concern that Trump might jeopardize essential U.S. interests, such as support for Taiwan or freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, by engaging in negotiations with Xi to secure trade victories.
Moolenaar expressed his trust in Trump’s national security team but also acknowledged “limited expectations” regarding what discussions with China might achieve, given China’s tendency to disregard previous commitments.
However, he advised Taiwan against pursuing proposed cuts to its defense spending, asserting that it would convey “the wrong message.”
“Taiwan cannot have internal divisions regarding the significance of their own national security,” he commented.
(Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman)
(Aside from the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)