Tech billionaire’s shocking threat to ‘decommission Dragon IMMEDIATELY’ puts four American astronauts at risk as $22 BILLION in contracts hangs in balance
PRESIDENT Trump was last night urged to SEIZE control of SpaceX after Elon Musk threatened to strand NASA astronauts on the International Space Station by immediately decommissioning the only American spacecraft capable of bringing them home.
In an extraordinary day of chaos that saw the world’s richest man and the President trade vicious barbs on social media, Musk made the unprecedented threat to pull his Dragon spacecraft from service – potentially leaving four American astronauts marooned 250 miles above Earth.
The explosive feud, which erupted over Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” spending plans, spiraled so dramatically out of control that Steve Bannon demanded the President invoke emergency powers to nationalize Musk’s space company before midnight.
President Trump tonight should sign an executive order calling for the Defense Production Act and seize SpaceX tonight before midnight,” Bannon declared, referring to federal powers that allow the government to take control of private industry for national defense.
The Nuclear Option
In a stunning escalation that shocked the space industry, Musk posted on X at 3:47 PM: “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.
The threat sent shockwaves through NASA headquarters, where officials scrambled to assess the catastrophic implications:
- Four NASA astronauts currently aboard the ISS
- No other American spacecraft capable of crew transport
- Complete dependence on Russian Soyuz capsules
- $22 billion in SpaceX contracts at risk
- Entire U.S. space program in jeopardy
Trump’s Money Threat
The President had fired the first shot hours earlier, posting on Truth Social: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
According to sources, Trump’s threat encompasses:
- $17 billion in SpaceX government contracts since 2015
- $5 billion Dragon spacecraft NASA contract
- $843 million ISS decommissioning contract
- Billions in Pentagon satellite launch contracts
- Critical spy satellite constellation programs
Five-Hour Stand-Off
For five terrifying hours, the fate of America’s space program hung in the balance as Musk’s threat stood. NASA officials were reportedly in “crisis mode,” with one source telling us: “This was unprecedented. We were looking at a scenario where American astronauts could be completely dependent on Russia.
Then, at 8:52 PM, Musk appeared to blink first. Responding to an X user urging him to “cool off and take a step back for a couple of days,” the billionaire wrote: “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”
‘Rogue CEO’ Warning
Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver didn’t mince words about the crisis: “A rogue CEO threatening to decommission spacecraft, putting astronauts’ lives at risk, is untenable.
She added that while canceling SpaceX’s contracts “would probably not be legal,” the mere threat from Musk represented a dangerous precedent.
The Astronauts at Risk
Currently aboard the International Space Station are four NASA astronauts who would have been directly impacted by Musk’s threat:
- The crew relies entirely on Dragon for their scheduled return
- Russia’s Soyuz can only carry three people at a time
- Emergency evacuation plans would have been severely compromised
- The ISS program involves dozens of countries under international agreements
Budget Battle Triggers War
The feud exploded after Musk criticized Trump’s Republican-led “Big Beautiful Bill,” which reportedly would add trillions to the national deficit.
Musk, who had been heading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, was reportedly “enraged” by the spending plans and abruptly departed the administration last week.
Sources say DOGE had claimed to save tens of billions on “wasteful” projects, with Musk pushing to reach trillions in cuts.
‘Catastrophic’ Consequences
Industry analysts warned that even Musk’s temporary threat could have lasting consequences:
It fortunately wouldn’t be catastrophic, since SpaceX has developed itself into a global powerhouse that dominates most of the space industry, but there’s no question that it would result in massive disruption,” one analyst told Reuters.
The crisis highlights America’s dangerous dependence on a single company:
- SpaceX is NASA’s only U.S. option for crew transport
- Boeing’s troubled Starliner remains grounded after failures
- Russia’s Soyuz is the only alternative
- No other American companies can fill the gap
Isaacman Casualty
The feud has already claimed one high-profile victim. Trump abruptly withdrew his nomination of Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator over the weekend – a billionaire private astronaut who was Musk’s personal pick for the role.
Trump explained dumping Isaacman by calling him “totally Democrat,” despite the fact he was widely seen as Musk’s ally in pushing for Mars missions over moon landings.
NASA Scrambles
NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens declined to comment directly on SpaceX but said the agency would “continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the president’s objectives.
Behind the scenes, sources say NASA officials were frantically working contingency plans during the five-hour crisis, including:
- Emergency negotiations with Russia for additional Soyuz seats
- Accelerating Boeing Starliner fixes
- Assessing military options for crew rescue
- Preparing for potential ISS evacuation
Space Force Implications
The threat extends far beyond NASA. SpaceX also handles:
- Majority of Pentagon’s national security satellite launches
- Classified spy satellite constellations
- $6 billion in recent Space Force contracts
- Critical military communications systems
- Missile warning satellites
The Starliner Connection
The crisis is particularly acute because of Boeing’s Starliner failures. Just months ago, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded on the ISS for 286 days after Starliner malfunctioned, requiring SpaceX Dragon to rescue them.
Boeing has provided no timeline for when Starliner might fly again, leaving Dragon as the sole American option.
Congressional Fury
Members of Congress from both parties expressed outrage at the situation. One senior Republican senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “This is exactly why we warned about putting all our eggs in one basket. One man’s tantrum shouldn’t be able to hold our space program hostage.
International Ramifications
The ISS involves partnerships with:
- European Space Agency
- Japanese Space Agency
- Canadian Space Agency
- Russian Roscosmos
- Dozens of other nations
Any disruption to Dragon operations would violate international agreements and damage America’s reputation as a reliable partner.
What Happens Next?
While Musk has backed down for now, the damage may already be done:
- Trust Shattered – Can NASA rely on SpaceX going forward?
- Contingency Planning – Urgent need for alternative providers
- Contract Reviews – All SpaceX contracts under scrutiny
- Congressional Action – Demands for investigation and oversight
- International Concerns – Partners questioning U.S. reliability
The Bottom Line
For five terrifying hours yesterday, one billionaire’s bruised ego nearly brought America’s space program to its knees. The fact that Elon Musk could even threaten to strand NASA astronauts in space over a political spat with the President represents a catastrophic failure of planning and oversight.
While the immediate crisis has passed, the underlying vulnerability remains: America’s return to space glory rests entirely in the hands of a single, increasingly erratic billionaire who just proved he’s willing to use astronauts’ lives as bargaining chips.
Steve Bannon’s call to seize SpaceX may have seemed extreme yesterday morning. By nightfall, it was starting to look prescient. The question now is not whether the government should reduce its dependence on Musk – but whether it’s already too late.
