Elon Musk’s next steps might take an unexpected turn as he continues to grapple with the fallout from his dramatic rift with President Donald Trump.
Tensions between the billionaire entrepreneur and the U.S. president began to surface after Trump introduced his “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which Musk fiercely criticized as a “disgusting abomination.” While Trump initially appeared unfazed, Musk’s response quickly escalated.
Taking to X, Musk announced plans to withdraw the SpaceX Dragon rocket from service, demanded Trump’s impeachment, and even alleged that the President’s name was buried in the Epstein documents—though he later deleted that particular post.
Still, the damage appears to have been done.
Within a single day, Musk’s fortune dropped by $34 billion. But analysts suggest that it may be just the beginning of his financial troubles.
Adding a bizarre twist to the situation, several prominent Russian figures have extended offers of political asylum to Musk. Dmitry Rogozin, former head of Roscosmos, posted: “Elon @elonmusk, don’t worry! You are respected in Russia. If things become unbearable in the U.S., come to us. Join the ‘Bars-Sarmat’ fighters—you’ll find loyal comrades and complete creative freedom here.”
Musk responded to the message with a laughing emoji, but the idea of him following in the footsteps of whistleblower Edward Snowden has begun to circulate.
If Musk were to seriously consider defecting to Russia, the financial consequences could be devastating. According to an analysis using ChatGPT, Musk could be at risk of losing up to half of his estimated $423 billion net worth.
Musk owns about 13% of Tesla, a stake worth roughly $104 billion. If he were to relocate to Russia, the resulting investor panic, along with possible U.S. sanctions and corporate board interventions, could slash his Tesla stake by up to $52 billion.
Regarding SpaceX, Musk’s ownership is estimated at $100 billion.
A defection could prompt the U.S. government to cancel vital NASA contracts, potentially costing it $70 billion. Furthermore, both Tesla and SpaceX have thrived thanks to government subsidies and federal contracts. If those are revoked, it could translate to another $20 billion in lost revenue.
Musk also holds stakes in several other ventures—X, xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company—all of which rely heavily on U.S.-based talent and infrastructure. A forced departure could cost him another $10 billion across these companies.
On top of that, Musk’s U.S.-based assets, including cash, stocks, and real estate, could be frozen. If the U.S. were to officially designate him as aiding a foreign adversary like Russia, even his overseas holdings in allied countries could be targeted, putting another $10 billion at risk.
Long term, ChatGPT warns, aligning with Russia would likely cut Musk off from international financial markets, limit his mobility, and cause major investors and partners to walk away.
His reputation and business viability in Western markets would take a massive hit, possibly costing him a further $50 billion in brand value over time.
Altogether, Musk could be facing losses ranging from $103 billion to $212 billion. The notion of losing nearly half his wealth over political defiance and potential defection is daunting.
With relations with Trump in tatters, Musk may be left weighing whether leaving the U.S. is a bold next move—or a financial catastrophe in the making.
