A US Democratic Senator suddenly has a lot of questions for Twitter now that Elon Musk owns the platform and has called for the Committee on Foreign Investment to conduct an investigation based on “national security implications.”

“We should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in repressing political speech and impacting US politics, are now the second-largest owner of a major social media platform,” CT Dem Chris Murphy said, noting that there is “a clear national security issue at stake and CFIUS should do a review.”

Today I am requesting the Committee on Foreign Investment — which reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyers — to conduct an investigation into the national security implications of Saudi Arabia's purchase of Twitter.https://t.co/IDwnKGaxt7

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 31, 2022

Murphy said that China is already the owner of Tiktok and it would be against the United States’ interests to allow Saudi Arabia to control Twitter as the second largest stake owner after Elon Musk. The Saudis, via Prince Alwaleed, said over the weekend that they were the second-largest owner of Twitter following Musk’s purchase.

“Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) and the private office of His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (PO) announce the roll over of their ownership of the existing Twitter shares valued at USD 1.89 Billion to the ‘New’ Twitter, led by Elon Musk, KHC & PO are jointly the second largest investor after Elon Musk,” the statement said. “This deal is in line with the long-term investment strategy for which Kingdom Holding Company is known for.”

The Saudis do, in fact, own the second largest stake in Twitter, though they were already major players before the purchase by Musk. Axios reports that “Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which is chaired by crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), owns 16.9 percent of the Kingdom Holding Company.”

Murphy has been a vocal critic of the Saudis in the past, having said just weeks ago that the US should “rethink” its arms sales to the regime following its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

“For years, we’ve looked the other way as Saudi Arabia has chopped up journalists, has engaged in massive political oppression, for one reason: We wanted to know that when the chips were down … the Saudis would choose us instead of Russia,” Murphy said. “Well, they didn’t.”