A sharp public clash between Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump has raised serious concerns over the future of key NASA and Pentagon programs, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The dispute reached a dramatic peak when Musk, CEO of SpaceX, threatened to immediately decommission the company’s Dragon spacecraft, a move that would cripple NASA’s ability to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
SpaceX Threatens To Pull Dragon Program
Musk posted the threat on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, after US President Trump suggested that his administration would cancel all federal contracts with Musk’s companies.
In response, Musk declared, “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.”
The Dragon spacecraft currently serves as NASA’s sole American vehicle for transporting astronauts to the ISS, which is valued at over $100 billion.
Several hours after making the initial statement, Musk backtracked.
In a reply to another post on X, he acknowledged that he had acted in haste, stating, “Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”
SpaceX has become a critical partner for both civilian and military agencies.
The Pentagon and intelligence services rely on the company to launch sensitive payloads, including satellites used for missile detection, secure communications, and precision-guided munitions, according to Xinhua News Agency.
NASA Responds With Ambiguous Statement
Bethany Stevens, NASA’s press secretary, did not directly address how the agency would continue astronaut transport to the ISS if SpaceX were to withdraw its services.
In a written statement, she said, “NASA will continue to execute upon the President’s vision for the fulfilment of space. We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President’s objectives in space are met.”
Meanwhile, the conflict intensified when Musk called for US President Trump’s impeachment, citing allegations that the US President’s name appears in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The accusation, coupled with threats to national space infrastructure, ignited concern among US government officials and industry experts.
Strategic Implications For US Space Leadership
Industry analysts warn that severing ties with SpaceX could severely disrupt national security operations and space exploration goals.
Given SpaceX’s central role in America’s space ambitions, any fracture in its relationship with the federal government poses substantial strategic risks.
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