In a dramatic development, a public feud ignited between Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump after Trump threatened to cancel government contracts with Musk's companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla, in response to Musk's criticisms of the government's policies.
Musk's response was swift, as he announced the suspension of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which NASA uses to transport astronauts. The decision shook scientific and economic circles, as it threatens the American space program that relies partially on that spacecraft following a reduction in cooperation with Russia.
However, Musk later backtracked on his decision, stating that it was an emotional response based on advice from a user on his platform X (formerly Twitter).
This tension reflects an escalating conflict between the private sector and the government in the space domain, which could have significant implications for projects like lunar and Mars exploration, especially if contracts are indeed canceled.