Overview
- Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent a Feb. 5 letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking an immediate review of SpaceX and a public accounting by mid-February.
- The letter cites ProPublica reporting and court testimony indicating Chinese-linked funds were routed through Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands entities to buy SpaceX shares, with one investor describing Chinese owners on the cap table.
- An unsealed deposition reported by media indicates internal discussions about Chinese investment at SpaceX date back to 2015, while the company’s full ownership structure remains undisclosed.
- The senators asked the Defense Department to assess whether SpaceX falls under Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence rules and whether investments should be examined by CFIUS.
- Lawmakers underscore SpaceX’s central role in U.S. national security, including launches and Starlink services, and say the company’s acquisition of xAI heightens urgency around potential foreign access to sensitive information.