Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, said Thursday that a certain admiration exists within his family toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Errol Musk, 79, is a South African businessman and former Pretoria City Council member who has spoken openly about his son’s successes and failures.
Why It Matters
Putin is viewed in most global circles as an authoritarian leader whose power and motives have resulted in deaths of countless people, most recently as part of the ongoing war against Ukraine that he initiated in 2022 that is estimated to have resulted in 200,000-250,000 Russian deaths, according to the British Foreign Ministry.
Billionaire Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, was reported last year to have had regular communications with Putin dating to 2022. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Musk was in frequent contact with Putin, and the pair discussed subjects including personal matters, business interests and geopolitical tensions, as well as political favors to benefit China and leader Xi Jinping with Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service.
Errol Musk, the father of tech billionaire Elon Musk who spent his early life in apartheid-era South Africa, poses for a portrait at his house in Langebaan, South Africa, on May 26, 2022.
Errol Musk, the father of tech billionaire Elon Musk who spent his early life in apartheid-era South Africa, poses for a portrait at his house in Langebaan, South Africa, on May 26, 2022.
GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
“It would be foolish not to admire Putin,” Errol Musk told BBC Russia on Thursday. “I listen to his speeches—he says logical things. If you view him simply as a man, not in the context of international politics, it’s hard not to have respect for Mr. Putin.”
Errol said that he and his son share a similar perspective regarding Putin. And despite others in their circle having attempted to quell the fervor for the Russian leader, he views him as a strong leader.
When the BBC reporter said that Putin and Russia are responsible for invading Ukraine and starting the war, Errol deflected and said that “only time will tell who really started it.”
Errol also rejected the notion that Elon’s business views are intertwined with political posturing, saying that the entire family already has everything it wants and needs.
Elon has led U.S. President Donald Trump‘s informal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been heavily scrutinized and has led to a dwindling public affinity for the world’s wealthiest person. Elon is slated to leave the role in May.
“Elon always talks really fast so he can get it over with,” Errol said.
Elon’s father also dispelled the claim that his son has intentionally made Nazi salutes, saying that Democrats like former President Barack Obama did the same thing.
Errol’s relationship with Elon varies greatly with that of his two younger sons, Kimbal and Tosca. Kimbal told Elon biographer Walter Isaacson that that their father would scream at them for two to three hours, calling them worthless and pathetic.
Maye, their mother, has accused Errol of physical abuse, which he said is “rubbish.”
What People Are Saying
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, in Moscow in March: “I think that there will undoubtedly be a discussion with [Elon] Musk [about Mars flights] in the near future.”
What Happens Next
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Brussels, reportedly gave assurances this week that the U.S. will not make concessions to Putin that cross the red lines of Ukraine and Europe, according to European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas.