Why Elon Musk’s Antisemitism Is A National Security Risk
By Kelsey Atherton has the go-to reference on why Congress should investigate the contracts to SpaceX for Elon Musk’s danger to national security. Atherton is the chief editor for the Center for International Policy, friend of the blog’s Matt Duss’s shop. And, disclosure, a personal friend.
Atherton lays out the reasons clearly:
Obviously, Musk’s public embrace of antisemitism. Government contracts require equal employment and antidiscrimination policies.
Musk’s reliance on Chinese investors and Saudi and Qatari government money, in addition to his relationships with Chinese and Russian authorities, have raised additional concerns. In September, reports surfaced that Musk had personally intervened in the operations of Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite communications company, to prevent its use by Ukraine. Asked about these reports on Sept. 11, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall emphasized that the Air Force was satisfied with SpaceX’s ability to deliver to the terms of its government contracts.
Perhaps a reporter could find copies of those government contracts and associated documents to see what it is the Air Force is satisfied with.
away from X, SpaceX has made itself vital to today’s national security infrastructure. Getting satellites into orbit is expensive, and SpaceX has delivered lower costs while reliably getting objects into space. Prohibiting SpaceX from competing for future contracts would only trade out one billionaire-backed launch venture for another, as Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin would be the most likely company to pick up the slack. Bezos does not have the same history of public antisemitic speech, but leaving space launches in the hands of unaccountable billionaires requires entrusting vital infrastructure to the moods and good graces of independently powerful individuals. Changing which billionaire has a personal and financial stake in rocket launches doesn’t eliminate the liability, it merely shifts it around.
Ultimately, Congress should move to curtail the power and autonomy of the ultrawealthy (within constitutional limits, of course).
Congress is paralyzed by Republican infighting. This is only one of many issues they should be dealing with.