How Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Is Crushing Elon Musk’s Space Goals

Once close allies, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are now locked in a high-stakes political showdown. After returning to office, Trump introduced the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a massive spending plan that boosts defense and border wall funding but slashes budgets for clean energy, healthcare, and education. Though marketed as a plan to streamline government, experts warn it could add trillions to the national debt.

Elon Musk, who headed a government agency focused on cutting waste and saving funds, felt betrayed by the bill. He openly criticized it for ramping up expenses rather than reducing them. In retaliation, Trump threatened to cancel key government contracts with Musk’s companies, including SpaceX.

In a bold move, Musk responded by halting operations of the Dragon spacecraft, essential for transporting astronauts to space. This stunned investors and led to a steep drop in Tesla’s stock. Musk’s space ventures and business empire now face major turmoil, and his personal fortune has taken a significant blow.

With both political and financial stakes high, Musk is under serious pressure. This escalating conflict not only strains his relationship with Trump but also endangers the future of U.S. space exploration.