US agencies track foreigners traveling to see Elon Musk

Several U.S. government agencies in 2022 and 2023 tracked foreign nationals coming and going to multibillionaire Elon Musk's properties, reported Xinhua, quoting The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

"The investigation included the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department. It focused on people visiting the tech billionaire, from countries in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, who might have been trying to influence him. Until last week, Musk was one of President (Donald) Trump's closest advisers," noted the report.

The investigation didn't progress to charges and its current status couldn't be determined. Officials at several agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, had been briefed on it, according to the report.

"The probe, predating the current Trump administration, highlights concerns about the number of foreign nationals in Musk's orbit," said the report. Musk runs five companies, including SpaceX, with sensitive government contracts, and has had unprecedented access to top government officials.

"The current Trump administration has sounded alarms about the influence of foreigners on the country," it added. Trump recently imposed travel bans and restrictions on more than a dozen countries and on foreign students enrolling at U.S. universities.