Elon Musk’s alliance with President Donald Trump appears to be at an end, but the relationship won’t dissolve easily. The billionaire entrepreneur and his companies have been critical of Trump’s policies on climate change, social media regulation, and electric vehicles.
Musk had invested heavily in Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign, spending around $300 million, and was seen as a key supporter during the early months of Trump’s second term. However, it seems that their friendship has cooled significantly.
The two have made public jabs at each other on social media, with Trump suggesting canceling Musk’s government contracts and Musk responding by threatening to block NASA’s use of his SpaceX rockets. The tension between them is evident, but it’s unclear what will happen next.
Despite the cooling relationship, the US government remains heavily reliant on SpaceX for various purposes, including transporting astronauts to space, launching spy satellites, and providing internet connectivity through its Starlink system. Musk’s companies have received over $20 billion in contracts from NASA and the Pentagon.
Replacing SpaceX on these contracts would be challenging, as there is currently no other company that can match their capabilities. The government’s dependence on SpaceX has grown significantly since Trump took office, with the space agency awarding the company nearly $1 billion to develop a plan for safely decommissioning the International Space Station.
If Trump were to target Musk and his companies, it could harm the country by limiting access to cutting-edge technologies like AI. The government’s use of social media platforms also relies on Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), which makes it difficult for Trump to sever ties without causing disruptions to critical infrastructure.
The situation highlights the complexity of the US government’s relationships with private companies and the potential risks associated with relying heavily on a single entity. As one tech journalist noted, “If Trump were to go after (Musk’s companies), then he’ll look exactly like what people accuse him of, which is an autocrat.”
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/06/politics/spacex-starlink-trump-musk-nasa