'SpaceX will begin decommissioning...': Elon Musk to shut down NASA’s only astronaut ride in fight with Trump

Elon Musk has threatened to shut down SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, NASA’s only U.S. astronaut carrier, triggering a deepening crisis that could ground American spaceflight, derail moon missions, and imperil $22 billion in government contracts as his feud with President Donald Trump explodes into open warfare.

What began as a clash over Trump’s tax-and-spending bill has erupted into a high-stakes standoff with national consequences. After Trump publicly floated terminating federal contracts with Musk’s companies, the SpaceX CEO fired back, announcing plans to “decommission” the Dragon capsule—NASA’s only current means of getting astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

The capsule, funded by a $5 billion contract, is critical to sustaining U.S. access to space. Without it, NASA would be forced to rely on Russia’s aging Soyuz spacecraft, shrinking its orbital footprint and leaving future missions in limbo.

NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens offered no specifics but said the agency “will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the president’s objectives in space are met.”

The fallout:

Nearly $22 billion in active contracts are at stake. These include high-priority Pentagon satellite launches, intelligence payloads, and Musk’s Starship system—tapped by NASA to land astronauts on the moon under the Artemis III mission.

If Musk pulls Dragon, four astronauts currently aboard the ISS could still return home—but NASA would have no immediate way to send their replacements. Boeing’s Starliner remains plagued by delays. Alternatives like Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus are still unproven or sidelined.

Even NASA’s ISS retirement plan, scheduled for 2030, now faces disruption. SpaceX was contracted to build the spacecraft that will safely deorbit the station.

From the Moon to military space:

Musk’s threat extends far beyond low-Earth orbit. SpaceX rockets carry national security payloads, deploy secure Starlink satellites for military comms, and are central to America’s next lunar landing. Without them, timelines collapse.

“There’s no question it would result in significant lost revenue and missed contract opportunities,” said Justus Parmar, CEO of SpaceX investor Fortuna Investments.

And former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver was more stark: “A rogue CEO threatening to decommission spacecraft, putting astronauts’ lives at risk, is untenable.”

Tesla’s stock (TSLA) plummeted to $284.70, marking a sharp 14.26% decline—down $47.35 from its previous close of $332.05. The stock saw significant intraday volatility, swinging between a low of $273.42 and a high of $324.55.