President Trump said he would be willing to issue preemptive pardons to aides and political allies if Democrats win enough seats in the midterm elections to control the House and Senate. He specifically mentioned Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, during an interview released Monday by The New York Post.

Trump made the comments after being asked about potential Democratic investigations into Musk and his companies. The interviewer suggested that Democrats wanted to arrest Musk, seize his factories and nationalize SpaceX. Democratic leaders have discussed possible inquiries into Musk and his business practices, but the report said they have not called for his arrest.

“I can tell you this, if they do, we just have to protect those people,” Trump said. When asked whether that protection could include preemptive pardons, he replied that he would do so if necessary. He referred to his executive order granting clemency to more than 1,500 supporters charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying he would act similarly for his allies.

Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Senator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat, called last month for an investigation into Musk after reports that Ukrainian forces had experienced restrictions affecting Starlink satellite internet services operated by SpaceX. The network has been used for communications in Ukraine’s war against Russia. Musk has said Ukraine violated the system’s terms of service and that Trump later asked him to restore the communications network, according to reporting cited in the article.

Musk has also faced scrutiny over his reported spending of nearly half a billion dollars on the midterm elections in support of Republican causes and candidates. Democrats have criticized the relationship between Trump’s party and wealthy donors as voters focus on affordability and the cost of living.

On X, the social network he owns, Musk has portrayed Tuesday’s election as a decisive threat, warning that Democrats would turn the country into a “permanent one-party state.” He has also warned that those who investigate him or his companies could face retaliation.

Sources: The New York Times Politics.