Elon Musk has taken aim at Transportation Secretary and acting NASA administrator Sean P. Duffy, igniting a public feud through several X posts.
Musk criticized Duffy’s role in overseeing the space program, saying it undermines the American space program and endangers astronauts. This criticism comes as Musk pushes for his preferred candidate, Jared Isaacman, to lead the space agency.
Duffy had initially suggested that Artemis III, a NASA mission to land a crewed rocket on the Moon, would be opened to vendors besides SpaceX, but later backed down after Musk responded with a barbed comment.
However, Musk continued to criticize Duffy in X posts, claiming the administrator is trying to “kill” NASA. This criticism has raised concerns about potential risks to SpaceX’s operations and government contracts.
The Department of Transportation did not respond to an inquiry regarding whether Duffy had any response to Musk’s criticisms or how they might impact the agency’s work; a DOT spokesperson referred a reporter to NASA.
Musk has long aimed to deploy a more aggressive version of its driver-assistance system, Full Self-Driving. However, Tesla’s new “Mad Max” feature has been criticized by regulators and has raised concerns about safety and regulatory compliance.
NHTSA has made an inquiry into the Mad Max mode after reports of traffic violations while Full Self-Driving was active. The agency is in contact with Tesla to gather additional information on the feature.
The situation highlights a complex dynamic between Musk’s SpaceX, which has received billions of dollars in U.S. government contracts, and NASA, which relies on SpaceX’s equipment and ability to propel people into orbit.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/10/23/elon-musk-sean-duffy-washington