U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a Navy veteran and retired astronaut, clashed with tech billionaire Elon Musk after Musk called him a “traitor” on social media. The exchange began when Kelly posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) supporting Ukraine following a visit to the war-torn country over the weekend. Kelly criticized the Trump administration for pausing aid to Ukraine, arguing that the move has made it harder for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia.
Musk, a key adviser to President Donald Trump, responded to Kelly’s post with a blunt accusation: “You are a traitor.” Kelly fired back, defending his stance on supporting Ukraine and emphasizing the importance of defending freedom.
“Traitor? Elon, if you don’t understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do,” Kelly wrote on X.
In his initial post, Kelly highlighted the resilience of Ukraine and the critical role of U.S. support in its fight against Russia. He noted that the war, initially expected by Russian President Vladimir Putin to last only three days, has now dragged on for three years. Kelly warned that cutting off aid now risks undoing the sacrifices made by Ukrainians.
The tension between the U.S. and Ukraine has escalated since a heated meeting last month between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the meeting, Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful,” drawing criticism from global leaders and lawmakers. Shortly after, Trump ordered a pause on military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
U.S. officials are currently meeting with Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia to discuss potential paths to ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump has expressed a desire to broker a peace deal, but his approach has been criticized as overly conciliatory toward Russia. While Trump has threatened new sanctions against Russia for its attacks on Ukrainian cities, his administration’s actions have raised concerns among European allies, who have been largely excluded from the negotiations.
The European Union recently agreed to bolster its defenses and allocate hundreds of billions of euros for security, reflecting growing skepticism about Trump’s strategy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
