A high-stakes public feud between Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump has put approximately **$22 billion in SpaceX government contracts at risk**, potentially disrupting critical U.S. space programs, including NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) operations and future lunar missions .
## **The Escalating Conflict**
The dispute began when Musk criticized Trump’s proposed tax and spending legislation, prompting Trump to retaliate by threatening to terminate government contracts with Musk’s companies, including SpaceX . Musk responded by declaring that SpaceX would begin **"decommissioning" its Dragon spacecraft**—NASA’s only U.S.-crewed vehicle for transporting astronauts to and from the ISS—a move that could severely disrupt American space operations .
Though Musk later walked back the threat, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that Dragon would remain operational, the incident raised alarms about the fragility of public-private partnerships in space exploration .
## **Potential Consequences for NASA and the Pentagon**
- **ISS Operations at Risk**: If SpaceX follows through on decommissioning Dragon, NASA would be forced to rely more heavily on **Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft**, reversing years of efforts to regain U.S. crewed launch independence .
- **Lunar and Mars Missions in Jeopardy**: SpaceX’s **Starship**, a key component of NASA’s Artemis moon missions, could face funding cuts if political tensions escalate further .
- **National Security Concerns**: The Pentagon relies on SpaceX for launching national security satellites, and any contract cancellations could delay critical defense operations .
## **Political Fallout and Legal Challenges**
The feud has already claimed an early casualty: **Jared Isaacman**, a Musk ally and Trump’s nominee for NASA administrator, was abruptly removed from consideration after Trump labeled him "totally Democrat" . Legal experts, including former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, argue that canceling SpaceX contracts over political disputes may not be lawful, but Musk’s threats have also drawn criticism for being reckless .
## **Can SpaceX Survive Without Government Contracts?**
While SpaceX has grown into a **global leader in commercial space launches**, losing $22 billion in government contracts would still deal a significant financial blow. Analysts suggest the company’s diversified revenue streams—including satellite internet (Starlink) and private spaceflight—could provide some insulation, but the loss would still hinder future projects .
## **What’s Next?**
The coming weeks will test whether Trump follows through on his threats and whether Congress intervenes to protect NASA’s funding. Meanwhile, the feud underscores the risks of intertwining **political vendettas with critical national infrastructure** .
For further details, refer to the original reports from [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com) and [The Economic Times](https://m.economictimes.com).
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