Russian lawmaker Dmitry Novikov has proposed that Elon Musk might consider seeking political asylum in Russia if he wishes to amid escalating tensions between the Tesla CEO and President Donald Trump.
Novikov, who is the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs and is a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, made the remark after a fiery exchange of allegations between Musk and Trump, according to the Russian news agency TASS. "I think that Musk has a completely different game, that he will not need any political asylum," Novikov told the news agency on Friday following calls from Trump allies to deport Musk.
Russia to Welcome Musk If Required
"However, if he did, Russia, of course, could provide it," he added in response to a question about whether Russia would grant asylum to Musk, similar to the way it did for Edward Snowden.
The lawmaker pointed out that over time, Musk has developed "a kind of political communication", and therefore "individual disagreements will remain separate disagreements."
"At this stage, the return of the Democratic team to the White House in three years is not what I think Musk needs and not what he is ready to applaud. Therefore, there are tactical differences, and there are strategic things, and he will adhere to them, it seems to me," Novikov explained.
The offer from Russia came after Bannon, one of Elon Musk's most vocal critics, suggested on Thursday night that Trump should deport Musk after the multi-hour tirade.
Bannon, said, "They [US government] should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately."
Trump's Enemy, Russia's Friend
Bannon's remarks came after Musk on Thursday threatened to shut down SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which transports astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Bannon claimed this posed a significant risk to national security and urged Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to take control of SpaceX without delay.
Meanwhile, when questioned about the controversy on Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment, according to the Moscow Times.
"This is a domestic issue of the United States, and we don't intend to interfere," Peskov told reporters. "We're confident the US president will handle this situation on his own."
Russia has in the past offered asylum to American whistleblower Edward Snowden as well as British blogger Graham Phillips, who is known for his pro-Kremlin stance.
