Trump and Musk were at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when a phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky took place.
On November 8, Reuters reported that when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, American billionaire Elon Musk also joined the call.
During the 25-minute phone call on November 6 (one day after the U.S. presidential election), President-elect Donald Trump told President Zelensky that he would support Ukraine, though he did not provide specifics. Musk added that he would continue to provide Starlink satellites to Ukraine.
In June 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it had signed a contract with Starlink—a satellite internet project by SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk—to purchase these satellite services for Ukraine. U.S. military officials praised Starlink’s mobile terminals, which played a crucial role in Ukraine by keeping civilians connected and supporting Ukraine’s military after the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022.
Starlink has proven vital to the Ukrainian military, relying on small mobile terminals for battlefield communication and intelligence sharing.
According to The Washington Post, during the call, as President Zelensky was explaining the importance of these satellites for wartime internet service, Trump mentioned that Musk was with him and brought him into the call. The New York Times also reported that the call took place while Trump and Musk were together at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Their joint participation in the call highlights the close relationship between Musk and Trump as Trump prepares to assume the White House. According to Axios, the call also underscored Musk’s influence in Trump’s upcoming administration.
Elon Musk has donated millions of dollars to support Trump’s presidential campaign and has appeared publicly alongside him. Trump has stated that he would offer Musk, the world’s richest man, a role in his administration.
Ukrainian President Zelensky was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Trump on his election. “We agreed to maintain close dialogue and promote cooperation. Strong, unwavering U.S. leadership is crucial for the world and for a just peace,” Zelensky said.
When asked about the call, Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for Trump’s transition team, said, “We do not comment on private meetings or conversations.”
Trump has claimed that if elected, he could end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within a day, even before taking office, though he has not disclosed how he would do so. However, he has criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine and recently even blamed President Zelensky for provoking war with Russia.
