SpaceX fires up giant Starship rocket engines in key test
Al JazeeraAPR 2023
Trump, Musk Attend SpaceX Rocket Launch
Above: Musk greets Trump in Brownsville, Texas on Nov. 19, 2024. Image copyright: Brandon Bell/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Trump's relationship with Musk is neither a political alliance nor a billionaires club. Both agree with the American people that it's time to gut the bloated bureaucracy, and Musk is the man to do it. The SpaceX CEO's record of efficiency at his own companies has even garnered support from Democrats and bureaucratic agencies. Today's successful launch symbolizes what he can accomplish.
Democratic narrative
This quid pro quo relationship should frighten anyone who believes businessmen shouldn't regulate themselves. Even some conservatives have warned about corporate-government intermingling due to the obvious conflicts of interest. Musk will undoubtedly strip the government of essential social programs while boosting his own business interests. This Musk-Trump SpaceX spectacle personifies the issue perfectly.