When Steve Riabov named his Silicon Valley construction company ‘Musk Construction’ he was hoping to model the business success of its namesake, Elon Musk. Six years on, he wants nothing to do with him.
The Tesla and X owner was a hugely popular figure in the world of business and was deemed a forward-thinking, if slightly enigmatic, character. However Musk’s controversial involvement with President Donald Trump has lost him a lot of fans, including Riabov.
Speaking to USA Today, Riabov explained that he previously admired Musk as a “bold, adventurous, and daring” leader. But comments made by Musk in recent months have changed all that.
Riabov is Ukrainian and was deeply disappointed by Musk’s comments on his homeland. Musk told Fox that a cyberattack on X was thought to have come from Ukraine, saying: “We’re not sure what happened but there was a massive cyberattack to try and bring down the X system with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area.”
“I can’t stand it,” Riabov explained. “I no longer align with all of his values. I have to change the name.”
Musk has also been a vocal supporter of the Trump Administration, which has threatened to break the support offered to Ukraine as the nations looks to defend itself against Russian aggression. At times, the White House has even appeared to side with the Russian perspective on the conflict.
“I almost cried, it’s so insane,” Riabov said. “Ukraine is trying to survive, and now America is taking such a different stance.”
But the process of wiping Musk’s name from the company will not be easy. Removing the ‘Musk’ from Musk Construction will involve getting a new company trademark and applying for new permits in the new company name. That could cost between $15,000 and $20,000 but its an expense that Riabov is willing to pay. He’s already removed the company logo from the company’s fleet of Tesla vehicles, and has done away with the ‘MUSK UP’ and ‘MUSK INC’ vanity plates.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
