Musk Threatens to Decommission Dragon Spacecraft Amid Feud with Trump; NASA in Crisis?

<p>In a stunning escalation of a political and personal feud, Elon Musk, the world&rsquo;s richest man and CEO of SpaceX, announced that his aerospace company will begin decommissioning its vital Dragon spacecraft. The statement came in response to former U.S. President Donald Trump&rsquo;s threat to revoke government contracts awarded to Musk&rsquo;s companies, including SpaceX and Starlink.</p>
<p>The announcement, made by Musk on his social media platform X, has sent shockwaves through the scientific and space communities. &ldquo;In light of the President&rsquo;s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,&rdquo; Musk posted Thursday.</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>In light of the President&rsquo;s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, <a href=”https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@SpaceX</a> will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately <a href=”https://t.co/NG9sijjkgW”>pic.twitter.com/NG9sijjkgW</a></p>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href=”https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1930718684819112251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>June 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Dragon capsule is a critical component of NASA&rsquo;s current operations, responsible for transporting astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS). It is currently the only U.S.-based spacecraft capable of carrying crews to the ISS. Boeing&rsquo;s competing Starliner capsule remains grounded after a troubled 2024 test flight, leaving NASA heavily reliant on SpaceX&rsquo;s services.</p>
<p>While it remains unclear whether Musk&rsquo;s threat to decommission Dragon is a serious operational directive or a symbolic political gesture, the implications are significant. NASA has partnered with SpaceX not only for ISS missions but also for future crewed lunar landings and deep space exploration.</p>
<h2>NASA&rsquo;s Reliance on SpaceX Creates High-Stakes Uncertainty</h2>
<p>Musk&rsquo;s response was triggered by Trump&rsquo;s post accusing him of benefiting from excessive governmental subsidies. &ldquo;The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon&rsquo;s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn&rsquo;t do it!&rdquo; Trump wrote on his social media account.</p>
<p>The fallout is part of a broader and increasingly bitter feud between the two powerful figures. Earlier this week, Musk slammed Trump&rsquo;s recently passed tax and spending bill, labeling it a &ldquo;disgusting abomination.&rdquo; Trump fired back, suggesting Musk was angered by the bill&rsquo;s cuts to electric vehicle tax credits. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very disappointed in Elon. I&rsquo;ve helped Elon a lot,&rdquo; Trump said Thursday. &ldquo;He said the most beautiful things about me… but I&rsquo;m sure that&rsquo;ll be next.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Indeed, Musk has not held back. In another post on X, he claimed credit for Trump&rsquo;s 2024 election victory and accused the former president of “such ingratitude.” Musk also made a bombshell allegation, stating: &ldquo;Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!&rdquo;</p>
<p>He followed the accusation with a cryptic warning: &ldquo;Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.&rdquo;</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.</p>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href=”https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1930706186266890457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>June 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p>As the feud escalates into uncharted territory, it threatens to spill over into the realms of space policy, national security, and scientific progress. With SpaceX deeply embedded in U.S. space infrastructure &mdash; including critical cargo deliveries, crew transport, and lunar mission planning &mdash; Musk&rsquo;s declaration could have serious consequences if followed through.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, NASA has not issued a formal statement regarding Musk&rsquo;s remarks or the potential impact on ongoing and future missions.</p>