Musk and Trump's Public Brawl: A Rollercoaster of Threats and Backtracking
SpaceX tycoon Musk hints at unleashing Trump-linked SpaceX documents, followed by a quick recovery.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump are engaged in a heated dispute that's leaving the tech world on edge. On X, Musk declared his SpaceX Dragon spacecraft would "cease operations instantly." SpaceX's Dragon is a crucial player in US space travel with a contract valued at around $5 billion ($4.4 billion). But just hours later, Musk retracted his statement.
A Tug of War Over Power and Politics
In response to a user's advice to "cool it for a bit and take a breather," Musk tweeted, "Alright, we won't stop the Dragon." This rollercoaster of threats and backtracking has taken a toll on Tesla stocks, causing a dramatic decline of more than 14% in US trading. Bloomberg estimates that Musk's personal wealth, at $335 billion ($293 billion), plummeted by nearly $34 billion in one day.
NASA's Ride Depends on SpaceX
The Dragon spacecraft is the only US spacecraft capable of transporting NASA astronauts to the ISS. The Starliner spacecraft developed by Boeing experienced technical issues during its first human flight, forcing astronauts to remain on the ISS for months before returning with a SpaceX capsule. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, another space company, has lacked the momentum to seriously challenge SpaceX.
Beyond the Orbit: A Boilingpot of Power Struggles
At the heart of this dispute is a clash of wills over Trump's desired tax law which could significantly increase the US debt. Trump has repeatedly slammed Musk for his opposition to this policy, going so far as to threaten to revoke government contracts from Musk's companies [1][2].
The Epstein Enigma: Musk's Accusation Against Trump
In the afternoon, Musk hurled bombshell accusations at Trump, claiming that he is mentioned in the controversial Epstein files. Musk made this statement without presenting any evidence or clarifying how he accessed the files.
The Epstein files refer to Justice Department records regarding Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was allegedly involved in procuring underage girls and young women for sexual exploitation [2]. Trump and Epstein had a longstanding relationship.
According to the "New York Times," Musk may have also been connected to Epstein and his associates, as he was photographed at a party with Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein and his former girlfriend, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking scheme [2].
Source: ntv.de, mau/AFP/dpa
- SpaceX
- ISS
- NASA
- Donald Trump
- Elon Musk
- Elon Musk, in his ongoing dispute with Donald Trump, initially threatened to halt SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft operations, a crucial asset for NASA astronaut transportation to the ISS, worth approximately $5 billion ($4.4 billion).
- Amidst the politics surrounding tax law and Musk's opposed stance, Trump has accused Musk of being mentioned in the Epstein files, a controversial set of Justice Department records linked to Jeffrey Epstein, who was alleged to have procured underage girls for sexual exploitation.
- The space-and-astronomy industry, particularly finance-heavy corporations like SpaceX, have found themselves entangled in a web of power struggles and general-news headlines, with key figures such as Musk and Trump plunging the industry into a boiling pot of heated debates and skirmishes.
