by John Mac Ghlionn, opinion contributor – 03/16/25 3:00 PM ET

Elon Musk is no ordinary billionaire. He’s the world’s richest man, the head of multiple frontier technologies, a chainsaw-wielding exhibitionist, and direct advisor to President Trump. That alone raises concerns. But add in his deep financial ties to China, his influence over U.S. defense infrastructure, and his alleged ketamine use, and those concerns increase exponentially.

When we think of national security threats, we think of foreign adversaries, spies, rogue actors and hostile governments. We think of cyberattacks, intelligence leaks and backdoor deals made in smoky rooms. But what if one of the greatest risks isn’t an outsider trying to break in, but rather an insider so deeply enmeshed in America’s technological and defense systems that his personal interests could compromise the entire structure? One could argue that this is the risk posed by Elon Musk.

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