WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - Democratic Senator

Richard Blumenthal on Monday asked U.S. Secretary of State Marco

Rubio to answer questions about a reported plan to spend $400

million to purchase armored versions of Tesla

Cybertrucks to transport diplomats.

Blumenthal said the State Department has publicly stated the

contract was planned during the Biden administration and the

Trump administration canceled it. But the senator, who is the

top Democrat on a Senate investigations subcommittee, said that

account has been questioned.

"The question has been raised whether, after significant

public blowback, the Trump Administration created and backdated

government documents to make it appear that the idea to spend

$400 million in taxpayer money on Tesla Cybertrucks originated

with the previous administration," Blumenthal wrote.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a close adviser to Trump and help

lead an effort to drastically shrink the federal government and

cut numerous government contracts.

Tesla and the State Department did not immediately

respond to requests for comment.

Blumenthal said if the State Department sought to

backdate a document it would raise serious questions.

"If that occurred, the Trump administration not only

recognizes the tremendous conflicts of interest inherent in Mr.

Musk's dual roles, but is also taking active steps to hide the

fact that it is ensuring that Mr. Musk's position is benefiting

his companies," Blumenthal wrote.

Other questions have been raised about other potential

conflicts of interest for Musk, including at the Federal

Aviation Administration

over a $2.4 billion telecommunications contract with Verizon

and

the potential that the contract could be given to Musk's

Starlink satellite telecommunications company, which is part of

SpaceX.