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Executives working for Elon Musk have been advised against seeking higher security clearance for him due to concerns about his drug use and contact with foreign nationals, according to reports.
Lawyers for Musk’s rocket launch company SpaceX warned senior executives that applying to upgrade access would force him to answer embarrassing questions and even jeopardize his existing license, The Wall Street Journal registered.
Still, Musk will soon hold the powerful position of President-elect Donald Trump’s top aide with access to an extraordinary wealth of federal information.
The revelation follows a bombshell report by the Journal in October stating that Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin since the end of 2022on top of previous reports claiming to have repeatedly used ketamine.
The Independent has contacted SpaceX for comment. The company previously said the claims about Putin were “misleading” and “unsubstantiated.”
As of 2022, Musk enjoys a “Top Secret” security clearance, the highest general clearance granted by the US Department of Defense. But it does not include special “need to know” approvals for specific projects (known as “Sensitive Sectional Information”).
The decision reportedly means Musk must be kept in the dark about some of the payloads SpaceX is putting into orbit, which are said to include satellites for the US military and intelligence agencies.
Security clearances are sometimes granted to people with a history of illegal drug use, but those with clearances are generally required to remain drug-free after receiving them.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said reports that Musk is in contact with Putin are “concerning” if proven, and should be investigated by the government.
According to JournalSpaceX lawyers have told executives that applying for a larger permit would force Musk to answer questions about his contact with foreign nationals and his drug use, as U.S. officials worry he might inadvertently reveal secrets during such conversations.
Applying for enhanced security regardless of the warnings could cause Musk to be denied or lose the clearance he’s already been granted, the Journal said.
Musk’s current clearance reportedly prevents him from being briefed on SpaceX’s Starshield spy satellite program, which grew out of its Starlink satellite communications network and is accessible only to national security agencies.
Sources also said Journal that Musk’s current approval took years to get because of government concerns Musk’s 2018 interview with right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, in which he accepted and smoked a cannabis cigar offered to him by his host.