World

Musk-Trump Fallout Threatens NASA And Pentagon Operations: Report

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.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor Leads Delegation In Strategic US Talks

Purnima Mishra

Recent Posts

JP Nadda Slams Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Match-Fixing’ Claims As ‘Desperation Of Losing’ Polls

Rahul Gandhi's opinion piece appeared in a national daily and sparked political uproar. Opposition parties…

7 hours ago

Poverty In India Reduced Via Tangible Boost In Household Living Standards, Incomes

In 2022–23, poverty under the revised $3.00 line stood at just 5.25 per cent in…

8 hours ago

Chhattisgarh: Seven Maoists Killed In Indravati National Park Operation

Five Maoists were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district,…

8 hours ago

Carney Invites Modi To G7 Summit, Highlights India’s Global Supply Chain Role

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the most populous country, with the fifth-largest economy, must…

9 hours ago

RBI Frontloads Rate Cuts To Boost Growth Amid Low Inflation: Crisil

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has frontloaded its rate cuts to support economic growth,…

9 hours ago

PM Modi Urges Global Action On Coastal Resilience At Nice Summit

PM Narendra Modi on Saturday called for urgent global action to build infrastructure that can…

10 hours ago