Musk Foundation funded Robinson's Moscow trip, says father
The Musk Foundation financed a Moscow trip for British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, exposing the billionaire’s philanthropic arm to fresh governance and reputational risks tied to sanctioned Russia.
Errol Musk said he brought Tommy Robinson to Russia and that the trip was covered by the Musk Foundation, a private philanthropic organisation founded by Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, used the Moscow visit to urge supporters to protest in Britain following a knife attack in Belfast.
In Moscow, the two men held meetings with Russian business figures to discuss the country's attempts to address a decline in births. Errol Musk noted that Robinson engaged heavily with these discussions. The elder Musk also travelled to St Petersburg for an annual Kremlin-backed economic forum.
For investors tracking Elon Musk’s commercial empire, the revelation that his family foundation financed a far-right activist’s visit to a sanctioned nation introduces clear governance and reputational risks. The use of philanthropic funds to facilitate political activities in Moscow raises immediate questions about the oversight of the Musk family's finances.
Elon Musk has actively used his platform, X, to amplify Robinson’s profile. The direct financial link between a Musk-controlled entity and Robinson’s geopolitical activities in Russia blurs the lines between the billionaire's commercial interests and his family's private philanthropy.
Robinson’s visit occurred as Moscow hosted Andrew Tate, an influencer who posted footage of himself firing weapons alongside apparent Russian military personnel. Stephan Lewandowsky, a professor at the University of Bristol, framed these visits as components of a Russian hybrid war against the West.
“Part of that means he will recruit anyone to undermine western democracy from within, whether that is Robinson, the Tates or others involved in more conventional politics,” Lewandowsky said. “It is to their political advantage, but there is also clearly examples of ideological alignment.”
Errol Musk, a self-described Russophile who has previously met Vladimir Putin and holds pro-Russian views on the Ukraine conflict, defended his companion. “He’s very hotheaded, but at the same time, he’s learning,” he said.
Robinson told reporters he had come to see the "beauty of a civilised society" after visiting Russia. The trip concluded with British police seizing Robinson’s phones upon his return to the UK.
Earlier this year, the head of a British far-right group, Mark Collett, spoke at a summit of European extreme nationalists convened in Russia by an influential oligarch linked to Putin.
