The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is preparing large-scale investigations, as part of which American billionaire Elon Musk, among others, has received a litigation hold notice. According to a Democratic Senate aide, letters were sent to Musk due to reports of slowdowns in the Starshield satellite system in Ukraine. Simultaneously, requests were sent to banks, ports, and private entities involved, according to the committee, in transactions supplying Russian diesel fuel.
"Standard Procedure" or Preparation for Audits
The committee emphasizes that sending such letters is a standard procedure: these requests are issued to preserve evidence in cases involving individuals suspected of illegal activities or questionable dealings. However, the wide range of recipients — from financial institutions and ports to private companies — indicates that this is not an isolated incident but a systematic preparation for audits. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to current and former officials, is also preparing for a wave of oversight by Congress.
Musk in the Democratic Spotlight
As reported by Politico, members of the Democratic Party in key congressional committees are openly warning the businessman about upcoming investigations. The publication attributes this focus to Musk's unprecedented political activity: in the current election cycle, he donated over $366 million to Republicans, making him the largest known donor to the campaign. Topics the Democrats intend to investigate include Musk's role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), his companies' multi-billion dollar federal contracts, and his potential role in restricting the Ukrainian Armed Forces' access to Starlink satellite internet. House Oversight Committee member Greg Casar stated that Democrats must "absolutely find out" how Musk, while spending money on Republican candidates in the 2026 midterms, "is trying to pave his way to billions of dollars from the federal budget."
"Lame Duck" and the New Congress
A new Congress will begin its work in January, at which point the opposition intends to intensify scrutiny of President Donald Trump's administration and review his decisions from the past two years. Until then, no significant changes to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) are expected; the main text of the bill has already been agreed upon by both chambers, and the period is known as the "lame duck" session. The current Republican majority is unlikely to support limiting presidential powers during this time. However, after the new Congress convenes, the White House may face complications in confirming appointments and ambassadors.
Context: Musk's Statements and Kyiv's Reaction
Recall that on October 24, Elon Musk claimed that without Starlink, the Ukrainian front "would have collapsed immediately." According to him, the Ukrainian military violated service terms, which is why the "loophole" was closed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, reacted sharply to Musk's comments about Russian soldiers: "These are not the kind of jokes I can understand, even though I understand jokes very well," he said in a teaser for the ZDF Magazin Royale program.
