Recently, Elon Musk, the wealthiest person on the planet, has cast serious doubts on the credibility and legality of the actions of Sergio Gor, a high-ranking official in the current presidential administration. Musk and the president have seen their formerly close relationship deteriorate rapidly in recent times for various reasons. Musk contends that Gor, Director of Presidential Personnel, manipulated the situation that led to the discord between himself and the president.
Gor’s job comprises the scrutiny of many executive-level employees for the presidential administration. However, his own vetting process appears to be less comprehensive, according to a New York Post piece. Musk reacted to this information by labeling Gor as ‘deceitful’ earlier in the week.
The mogul’s allegations took on an even more critical tone by Friday. Musk contended that Gor had intentionally submitted false personal information on Federal forms specifically related to his place of birth. According to Musk, this fraudulent action is, in fact, a violation of Federal law.
Further intensifying his criticisms, Musk asserts that ‘Gor is violating the law.’ His reiteration came in response to social media posts by Igor Sushko, a well-known American-Soviet race car driver who questioned Gor’s loyalty and suggested potential Russian affiliations.
Sushko referred to an array of sources to substantiate his speculations about Gor. Key among them was a news article from the New York Post that scrutinized Gor’s birthplace, revelations about a mission to Russia undertaken by Gor during his tenure with Senator Rand Paul, interpretations from Gor’s high school email history indicating him as ‘Russian-Maltese’, and an investigation that has been since withdrawn.
Musk’s critique is mainly predicated on the assertion that Gor didn’t complete his SF-86, a vital documentation necessary for permanent U.S security clearance. This neglect on his part is even more glaring considering Gor’s role in overseeing the vetting process of a significant number of executive branch personnel.
The SF-86 form is a comprehensive document that details various aspects in someone’s life including citizenship status, job history, family connections, international contact and travels, financial dealings, and substance use. Despite Musk’s accusations, the White House maintains that Gor has duly completed the form and possesses the requisite clearance, affirming his role as a trusted advisor.
Musk’s adversarial stance against Gor is further fueled by a long-existing tension between the two which, according to Musk, directly contributed to his strained relationship with the president. The issue between Musk and Gor saw a particularly contentious chapter revolving around Jared Isaacman, a close associate of Musk.
Isaacman, who was under consideration for the top position at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), saw his nomination pulled back just days before the Senate’s vote. The justification cited for the cancellation was Isaacman’s ‘past affiliations’, hinting at his previous donation record favoring democratic causes.
Rumors swirled citing Gor as the mastermind behind the withdrawal, using it as a retaliatory move against Musk. Allegedly, Musk and Gor had several disagreements during Cabinet meetings which contributed to this animosity.
The end of the once-thriving relationship between Musk and the president has drawn worldwide attention, as the pair began to publicly dispute over multiple issues. Ranging from who deserved credit for the presidential election win to the future of Musk’s SpaceX contracts with the Government, the fallout was marked by acrimonious exchanges.
Musk, however, crossed a line when he started making serious accusations about the president, triggering considerable public backlash. In an effort to control the fallout, Musk publicly apologized to the president and also reached out privately to make amends.
Some of Musk’s earlier tweeted criticisms aimed at the president were subsequently removed, a step further in his commitment to restoring civil relations. Worldwide, this unexpected display of contrition from Elon Musk resulted in a varied set of responses- while some viewed it as a much-needed step towards reconciliation, others saw an underlying power play at maneuver.