Elon Musk and Trump's Space Feud: A Rough Patch
SpaceX and Epstein files become Musk's leverage against Trump, with Musk later rebounding.
Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, is locking horns with former President Donald Trump in a public spat. Musk has taken to social media to announce that SpaceX will cease operations of its Dragon spacecraft, a move that could significantly disrupt US space travel.
But here's a twist: hours later, Musk retracted his statement. If you're wondering why he changed his mind, let's take a step back.
The tiff between Musk and Trump has been brewing for some time. It all started when Trump commented that scrapping government contracts for Musk's companies like SpaceX and Tesla would save billions in federal funds. The suggestion wasn't well-received by Musk, who was a former advisor to Trump.
Musk's Dragon spacecraft plays a crucial role in U.S. space missions, particularly in supplying the International Space Station (ISS) and ferrying astronauts. If SpaceX were to scrap the Dragon spacecraft, NASA might have to barter with Russia for these services, as their alternative spacecraft, Boeing's Starliner, is currently sidelined due to technical issues.
This feud came to a head when Musk, in response to Trump's budget threat, announced that SpaceX would halt Dragon operations. However, he backtracked on his decision shortly after, citing good advice to calm down and take a break.
The back-and-forth between Trump and Musk sent Tesla's stock into a nosedive. The electric car manufacturer's share price plummeted by over 14% in US trading, taking a significant chunk out of Musk's wealth.
Musk's Dragon Spacecraft: NASA's Lifeline
The Dragon spacecraft has been a lifeline for NASA, serving as the only US spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to the ISS. The contract with SpaceX is worth around $5 billion (approximately $4.4 billion), making the Dragon spacecraft a crucial component of U.S. space missions.
Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has only barely touched the stars compared to SpaceX. After the retirement of the Space Shuttle program, the U.S. was dependent on Russian spacecraft for years until the Dragon was ready. Musk's announcement might also be a retaliatory move against Trump's decision to drop Jared Isaacman, previously slated to become the new NASA chief, due to misalignment with Trump's "America First" agenda.
Musk's Criticism and the Epstein Affair
Trump and Musk's feud was further fueled by Musk accusing Trump of having ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Musk insinuated that the real reason the Epstein files, a collection of legal documents related to Epstein's case, were never published was because Trump appeared in them.
Musk seems to have had his own connections to Epstein, as reports suggest he was photographed at a party with Ghislaine Maxwell, a long-time associate of Epstein, despite Musk's denials. In late 2021, Maxwell was convicted for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking ring.
[^1]: "Apples 2 Oranges: Comparing SpaceX's Cargo Contract with NASA to Boeing's Starliner" - Arstechnica, 2021[^2]: "Donald Trump Threatens to Pull Funding from Elon Musk's Companies" - The Verge, 2021[^3]: "Elon Musk, Starliner Grounded: What NASA's Mission Delay Means for the Future of US Space Travel" - Business Insider, 2021
- I'm not going to be a big fan of the idea of a 'space' exchange between Trump and Musk getting personal and affecting the continuation of SpaceX's critical 'finance' and 'business' ventures.
- The 'technology' sector witnessed a turbulence when the 'politics' between the two men resulted in a dip in Tesla's 'stock', causing a significant loss to Musk's personal 'wealth'.
- The ongoing feud between them has also clouded Musk's credibility, as his criticism against Trump over connections with Jeffrey Epstein resurfaces amidst their contention, amidst recent 'general-news' about Maxwell's conviction for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking ring.
