Russia has seized on the spectacular public falling out between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, offering the world’s richest man a politically charged lifeline: asylum on Russian soil.
In what analysts describe as a classic Kremlin move to exploit divisions within the West, a senior Russian MP has publicly suggested that Moscow would welcome Musk should he find himself in need of refuge.
The offer comes after Trump allies called for Elon Musk to be deported from the United States over his misunderstanding with his former boss, Donald Trump. Their bitter spat has triggered political waves and economic fallout — Tesla stock has plunged, Musk has resigned from his US government advisory role, and reports suggest he is now persona non grata at the White House.
Sensing an opportunity, Dmitry Novikov, first deputy chair of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs, floated the asylum offer, likening Musk to whistleblower Edward Snowden, who has lived in Russia since fleeing US authorities in 2013.
“I think that Musk is playing a completely different game, that he will not need any political asylum,” Novikov said. “Although if he did need it, Russia, of course, could provide it.”
He added that Musk has built “a certain political communication” over the years, implying that Russia views him as a sympathetic figure in the shifting landscape of global power dynamics.
The remarks underscore how Moscow continues to leverage high-profile fractures within the US political and business elite for its own soft power gains.
A Transatlantic Rift
The offer follows an extraordinary week in which Musk and Trump turned from allies into fierce adversaries. Their dispute, which began over opposition to Trump’s flagship “Big Beautiful Bill,” has since spiralled into personal insults and allegations.
Musk went so far as to accuse Trump of being mentioned in the sealed Jeffrey Epstein files — a charge that threw fuel on an already volatile public feud. Trump and his allies responded with threats to investigate Musk’s citizenship and business dealings, with some calling for his deportation.
For Musk, the consequences have been swift: Tesla’s market value has dropped by over $150 billion in recent days amid investor concern over his erratic political involvement and the potential loss of government contracts.
Geopolitical Implications
Russia’s swift move to insert itself into this drama reflects a familiar playbook: identifying opportunities to embarrass Washington and drive wedges between US political factions.
Whether Musk would seriously consider such an offer is doubtful. He retains vast commercial interests in the US and Europe and is unlikely to abandon his global empire. Yet, the Kremlin’s message is clear — as the West fractures, Moscow stands ready to capitalise.
For now, Musk remains in the crosshairs of a transatlantic political storm — a position that Russia seems all too eager to exploit.
