Reid Hoffman, who co-founded LinkedIn, has publicly criticized fellow Paypal Mafia member and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in a recent exposé about Musk’s ties with the U.S. government, Business Insider reports.
Hoffman expressed his concerns to The New Yorker, stating Musk “bought what Putin was selling, hook, line, and sinker,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s perspective on the Ukraine war.
The two tech magnates previously collaborated to establish PayPal. Hoffman recalled an incident from a September 2022 Aspen conference where Musk suggested negotiating peace with Putin. In October, Musk’s tweet, which echoed Kremlin’s viewpoints and proposed Ukraine surrender territory to Russia, faced backlash. Almost 60% of the poll’s participants opposed Musk’s proposal.
However, Musk later clarified his support for Ukraine, highlighting SpaceX’s contributions, such as the $80 Million Starlink initiative in Ukraine, while contrasting it with their non-support for Russia. Despite this, Musk faced scrutiny last year over alleged communications with Putin, which both parties denied.
SpaceX’s Starlink played a crucial role during Russia’s invasion, providing internet services to Ukraine. U.S. Brigadier General Steven Butow acknowledged the strategic impact of Starlink, stating it thwarted Putin’s information campaign.
SpaceX’s Starlink services have been invaluable to Ukraine during the invasion, as confirmed by U.S. and Ukrainian officials.
Vladimir Putin Photo by Frederic Legrand – COMEO on Shutterstock
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