Trump Administration Excludes SpaceX from Golden Dome Project Amid Strained Relations with Elon Musk

The White House has removed SpaceX from the Golden Dome initiative, marking a rare shift in defense contracting strategy. This decision follows the public deterioration of relations between former President TRUMP and Elon Musk on June 5. Pentagon officials had previously expressed concerns about SpaceX's growing dominance in military communications infrastructure.

Amazon's Project Kuiper emerges as a potential beneficiary, despite having deployed only 78 of its planned 3,000 satellites. Jeff Bezos acknowledged the inevitable defense applications of low-earth orbit constellations, though Kuiper was initially conceived as a commercial venture. Traditional defense contractors are also expected to compete for contracts previously reserved for SpaceX.

SpaceX maintains it never bid on Golden Dome contracts, with Musk emphasizing Mars colonization as the company's priority. Nevertheless, SpaceX's launch capabilities ensure its continued involvement in some operational aspects of the program.