Can Trump Take Over SpaceX? Calls to Seize SpaceX from Musk Grow after 'First Buddy' Threatens to Leave NASA Astronauts Stranded in Space

International Business Times

a day ago

Donald Trump is facing calls to immediately seize control of SpaceX after Elon Musk threatened to leave NASA astronauts stranded in orbit during a heated clash with the former president. Musk reportedly said that he would not help the government and leave the NASA astronauts stranded in space on their own.
Musk's open threat has infuriated MAGA supporters. In a fiery exchange on Thursday afternoon, Trump responded to Musk's growing accusations by proposing that the tech billionaire's multi-billion-dollar government contracts should be revoked. "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts," Trump said on Truth Social.
Trump-Musk Feud Gets Dirtier
Musk immediately hit back at Trump, announcing that he would start "decommissioning" SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. The vehicle plays a crucial role in transporting NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Steve Bannon, Trump's former senior adviser and a vocal opponent of Musk, quickly addressed the situation on his "War Room Live" broadcast Thursday.
He called on Trump to seize control of SpaceX from Musk and to use the Defense Production Act — a national security law from the Korean War period — to assert government authority over the company.
"The United States government should take possession of it," Bannon declared.
In reality, taking over SpaceX—a privately owned company—would be highly challenging for Trump.
Although the Defense Production Act gives the president extensive authority to prioritize contracts vital to national defense, boost production capabilities, and manage essential resources such as energy, materials, and services, it does not specifically allow the outright takeover or nationalization of private businesses.
However, Trump could still put pressure on Musk through other means, such as revoking federal contracts, security clearances, or partnerships.
Trump's Next Move Unclear
SpaceX holds several key contracts linked to U.S. national security, including military versions of its Starlink satellites for the Pentagon and its involvement in NASA's Artemis mission to send astronauts back to the Moon.
Nevertheless, Bannon pushed even further, calling for Musk to be stripped of his security clearance and for all federal contracts awarded to his companies to be frozen while a thorough investigation is conducted.
Bannon also took it a step further by demanding that Trump begin deportation procedures against Musk.
"Elon Musk is here illegally. He's got to go," Bannon said, despite the fact that Musk, who was born in South Africa, has been a U.S. citizen for over two decades.
"They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately," Bannon told the New York Times in a phone interview on Thursday.
After the disintegration in the relationship between Trump and Musk, the SpaceX CEO announced on X that he had made the decision to begin decommissioning the company's Dragon spacecraft "immediately."
This announcement came in response to Trump's post on Truth Social, where he said he was considering ending all U.S. government contracts with Musk's private space firm.
If the Dragon capsule is decommissioned, NASA would be left without a reliable American spacecraft to send and retrieve astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
At present, four NASA astronauts are aboard the ISS, and it remains unclear whether Musk would permit them to return to Earth using the Dragon capsule currently docked at the station.