Elon Musk’s Fight With Trump Threatens $48 Billion in Government Contracts

The information show nan US is besides connected nan hook for astir $14 cardinal for SpaceX’s Starlink net work astatine galore offices, specified arsenic a Department of Interior installation successful Nevada.

The information could beryllium outdated aliases see errors, but galore of nan listed figures statement up pinch property releases from agencies specified arsenic nan US Space Force. Some of nan backing is taxable to legislature approval, and a information could extremity up going to SpaceX’s rivals.

But SpaceX’s competitors person faced galore technical setbacks, and Musk’s institution remains nan ascendant marketplace leader. The billionaire said this week that SpaceX would gain astir $15.5 cardinal successful gross this year, astir double estimates from 2 years ago. SpaceX has accounted for 134 of nan 166 orbital launches successful nan US truthful acold this year, according to tracking by Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist astatine nan Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

WIRED didn't reappraisal elaborate contracts aliases hunt for deals nan authorities whitethorn person struck pinch Musk's companies done intermediaries. For instance, immoderate authorities agencies whitethorn beryllium buying ads connected Musk’s X societal media level done advertizing agencies.

The government’s conveyance fleet includes Tesla electrical vehicles, according to documents online, and nan General Services Administration precocious paid nan institution for maintenance.

But nan GSA’s yearly Federal Fleet Report doesn’t break down nan number of vehicles by shaper aliases connection specifications connected early spending. The study lists 7,706 battery-electric vehicles successful nan authorities fleet. Earlier this year, nan Trump management paused orders for caller zero-emission vehicles, dealing a rustle to companies specified arsenic Tesla.

DOGE Pinching

Musk’s companies person benefited from authorities support for years. In February, an study by The Washington Post found Musk businesses had received astatine slightest $38 cardinal since 2003 successful authorities contracts, loans, subsidies and taxation credits crossed nan US, including astatine nan authorities and section levels. A New York Times study from October identified astatine slightest $15.4 cardinal successful national authorities contracts complete nan past decade for Tesla and SpaceX.

But Musk himself has tried to return a concatenation saw to national spending done his activity starring nan Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, which claims to person saved $180 cardinal since January, including by canceling contracts, though that fig remains highly disputed.

Some of DOGE’s efforts were temporarily blocked by nan national courts and besides drew protests from national labour unions, nationalist activists, Congress, states, and moreover Trump’s own aides and furniture secretaries. Last month, Musk said he was stepping distant from DOGE work to attraction connected his companies.

Trump’s cost-cutting initiatives haven’t stopped, though. Hiring freezes stay successful effect, and nan value of stretching each dollar further is being emphasized much than ever astatine galore national agencies, according to representatives astatine 2 companies pinch awesome authorities contracts. They declined to beryllium named retired of fearfulness of retribution from Trump.