Rubio takes Elon Musk's side in fight with Polish diplomat: 'Just making things up’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio took Elon Musk's side in an online fight with a Polish diplomat over Starlink's role in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The exchanges were notable coming days after Rubio and the tech mogul reportedly clashed over Musk's actions with the Department of Government Efficiency during a Trump Cabinet meeting at the end of last week.

Starlink, one of Musk's companies, has been an extremely important tool for Ukraine’s defense against Russia in the war. Musk first provided the service to Kyiv in early 2022 to help the country’s communications systems.

At one point in a lengthy discussion in a post on Musk's social platform X, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski suggested Musk was threatening to cut Ukraine off from Starlink.

He said Ukraine’s Starlink system is paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry for about $50 million a year.

“The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers,” he said.

“Just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink,” Rubio then posted, joining the discussion.

Sikorski then thanked Rubio for his comments.

"Thank you, Marco, for confirming that the brave soldiers of Ukraine can count on the vital internet service provided jointly by [the United States and Poland," he wrote.

Sikorski said with the help of the United States and Europe, a just peace could be found in Ukraine.

President Trump has shaken Poland and other countries in Europe with stark criticism of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump also paused U.S. aid to Ukraine and has suggested Kyiv is more of an impediment to peace than Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor in 2022.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) began the thread of posts that led to the Rubio-Sikorski exchange earlier over the weekend, calling for “not another penny” to be sent to Ukraine. Musk replied that there should be sanction put on “the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs” and the war will stop “immediately.”

“That is the key to the puzzle,” he said.

Another user replied that he agrees “anyone engaging in corruption” should be sanctioned, but he slammed Musk for the recent belief that Russia is not an aggressor in this conflict and the Trump administration’s efforts to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“You got to stop pretending that Putin isn’t the aggressor. Ukraine is the victim. Knock it off with the nonsense. You seem focused on only criticizing Ukraine but not Putin for some reason,” the user, Adam Lowisz, said in his post.

Musk replied saying he “literally challenged” Putin to physical combat over Ukraine and his Starlink system.

“Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose. Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop,” Musk said.

Topics

Trump downplays infighting between Elon Musk, Marco Rubio, other officials

President Trump is backing a House Republican plan to avert a government shutdown next week. He also played down reports of in-fighting in his Cabinet with advisor Elon Musk. Nikole Killion has the ...
CBS News - 1d
Elon Musk Is Making Republicans Sweat and Giving Democrats a New Target

His unusual governing arrangement with President Trump is opening Republicans up to being yoked politically to Mr. Musk, who polls show is broadly unpopular.
The New York Times - 2d
Trump insists Musk, Rubio have 'great relationship'

President Trump insisted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and close Trump adviser Elon Musk have a "great relationship" following an explosive report that the two clashed during a contentious ...
The Hill - 1d
‘Major brand worries’: Just how toxic is Elon Musk for Tesla?

With sales down and electric vehicle rivals catching up, the rightwing politico’s brand is driving into a storm. Globally renowned brands would not, ordinarily, want to be associated with Germany’s ...
The Guardian - 2d
‘SNL’ pokes fun at Musk, Rubio during cold open

The latest episode of “Saturday Night Live” featured James Austin Johnson’s version of President Trump attempting to bring together Marco Rubio and Elon Musk during the cold open. The show went on ...
NBC News - 1d
'SNL' cold open spoofs Rubio, Musk clash mediated by Trump

The recent “Saturday Night Live” cold open spoofed a reported clash between tech billionaire Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In the sketch, James Austin Johnson’s President Trump is ...
The Hill - 1d
Rubio and Trump Officials Clash With Elon Musk in an Explosive Meeting

Simmering anger at the billionaire’s unchecked power spilled out in a remarkable Cabinet Room meeting. The president quickly moved to rein in Mr. Musk.
The New York Times - 1d
Tesla facilities across the country attacked in protest of Elon Musk

A wave of anti-Tesla attacks have occurred as Elon Musk takes a leading role in President Trump's cost-cutting task force known as DOGE.
CBS News - 1d
Musk and Rubio spar with Polish minister over Starlink in Ukraine

The three went back and forth in an exchange of posts on X over Starlink being cut off in Ukraine.
BBC News - 18h
Musk and Rubio spar with Polish minister over Starlink in Ukraine

Yahoo News - 18h
LinkedIn co-founder has known Elon Musk for years. Here’s what he says Americans don’t understand about the Tesla CEO.

Elon Musk takes a hammer-and-nail approach to everything, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman says.
MarketWatch - 1h
Musk, Rubio clashed in front of Trump during Cabinet meeting: Sources

During a charged Cabinet meeting Thursday at the White House, Elon Musk clashed with top Cabinet officials, sources told ABC News
ABC News - 2d
The making of Elon Musk: how did his childhood in apartheid South Africa shape him?

The billionaire and now Trump adviser grew up amid the collapse of white rule, attending an all-white school and then a more liberal one. With an imposing double-winged redbrick main building, and ...
The Guardian - 2h
Jury is out on Rubio in Senate, as some lose faith

Some of Secretary of State Marco Rubio's former Democratic colleagues are already expressing regret over their votes in support of the former senator. But his boosters on both sides of the aisle ...
The Hill - 19h
In Wisconsin's Supreme Court race, both sides take aim at the other's billionaire backers

The Wisconsin Supreme Court contest is shaping up to be a battle of billionaires, with each side in the race casting the other’s most prominent donors as boogeymen.
NBC News - 2d
The 'anti-Trump' numbers man who may force the UK to take a side

The incoming Canadian PM has made standing up to his US counterpart a big part of his campaign.
BBC News - 7h
Trump denies Musk clashed with cabinet members

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushed back against Elon Musk’s downsizing of the federal workforce in a recent closed-door cabinet meeting, according to two ...
NBC News - 2d
Elon Musk’s Neuralink Files to Trademark ‘Telepathy’

The brain implant company cofounded by Elon Musk is moving to trademark several product names, including Telepathy and Telekinesis.
Wired - 2d
Elon Musk's feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, explained

Elon Musk's legal dispute against OpenAI could affect the future of one of the most prominent leaders in artificial intelligence.
Los Angeles Times - 6h
'SNL' taps into cynicism over Elon Musk's White House influence

Questions about tech investor Elon Musk's extraordinary influence in President Donald Trump's White House found answers that doubled as punchlines on "Saturday Night Live."
NBC News - 1d
I have 5 income streams and make over $1 million from Amazon alone: My No. 1 advice for starting a side hustle

Mind Brain Emotion founder and CEO Dr. Jenny Woo shares the strategies that helped make her side hustle a success.
CNBC - 3h
Why Social Security’s Future Could Be in DOGE’s Hands

Trump promised that Elon Musk’s DOGE wouldn’t touch Social Security. But DOGE is already making cuts to the agency.
Inc. - 1d
There Is a Liberal Answer to Elon Musk

Right-wing populism thrives on scarcity. The answer is abundance. But a politics of abundance will work only if Democrats confront where their approach has failed.
The New York Times - 23h
Trump denies reports of infighting between Cabinet, Elon Musk

President Trump is pushing back against reports of infighting between his Cabinet and Elon Musk. He also appears to be reversing course on tariffs again, with new threats against Canada.
CBS News - 2d
Tesla facilities face wave of attacks as Elon Musk delves into politics

As Elon Musk attempts to drastically cut the federal workforce and delves further into the corridors of American power, the Tesla CEO's electric carmaker facilities have come under fire — literally.
NBC News - 1d
Wholly Women-Led Companies Attracted Just 1 Percent of VC Funding in 2024, Tanking an Already Abysmal Stat

Thirteen female-founded companies became unicorns in 2024. But early-stage funding took a hit and anti-DEI efforts could make things worse for female founders.
Inc. - 3d
Trump's populist platform gives way to billionaires' agenda

Inside President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, the populists and politicians are starting to take swings at the plutocrats — namely billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk.
NBC News - 2d
Trump made clear ‘Elon Musk is your partner’ in Cabinet meeting, says Commerce secretary

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick says that President Trump made clear to his Cabinet that Elon Musk is “a partner” in deciding who and what will be cut ...
NBC News - 1d
Rubio and Ukraine officials to meet in Saudi Arabia

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia this week. Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine. Holly Williams has the latest.
CBS News - 15h
A Lebanese Woman Fights for Women’s Rights in the Middle East

Lina Abou-Habib is fighting inequality, working to change laws that make it difficult for women to keep custody of their children and block residency for children in a mother’s home country.
The New York Times - 3d
Top budget Democrat: GOP spending bill hands ‘a blank check to Elon Musk’

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, slammed the new House Republicans’ six-month stopgap funding bill, claiming it is a “blank check” for tech ...
The Hill - 1d
Marco Rubio: one-time Russia hawk makes stunning U-turn under Trump

The secretary of state was once a prominent Ukraine supporter and called Putin a ‘war criminal’ – not any more. Marco Rubio , the US secretary of state, looked on as Donald Trump demanded more ...
The Guardian - 2d
Maasai girls take up self-defense as protection from sexual abuse and early marriage

Maasai girls are taking up martial arts to protect themselves from sexual abuse and violence stemming from early marriage
ABC News - 2d
UFC 313 predictions -- Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev: Fight card, odds, preview, prelims, expert picks

Check out who the experts at CBS Sports are taking in the light heavyweight title fight set for Saturday in Las Vegas
CBS Sports - 1d
Rage Against Elon Musk Turns Tesla Into a Target

The backlash against the electric vehicle company has turned violent at times, as its billionaire chief executive parlays his support for President Trump into consequential influence over the ...
The New York Times - 1d
James Carville is wrong. Democrats should fight, not ‘play dead.’

Democrats must fight back against Trump and his agenda, as a lack of action will make them appear weak and Americans will despise weakness.
The Hill - 1d
As Catholics Gather for Jubilee, Just One Thing Is Missing: Francis

For the faithful who have descended on Rome for an event that comes every 25 years, the absence of the pope has been especially deeply felt.
The New York Times - 3d
France take Six Nations title race to the wire with thumping win over Ireland

Ireland 27-42 France France run in five tries in Dublin to set up grand finale This was not just a game of two halves, it was a story of two games. In the first you were counting yourself lucky ...
The Guardian - 2d
Senate Republican says Musk ‘does not have the power to fire people’

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said Sunday that tech billionaire Elon Musk “does not have the power to fire people.” "Elon Musk does not have the power to fire people. The president of the United States ...
The Hill - 1d