SpaceX fires up giant Starship rocket engines in key test
Al JazeeraDec 23, 2022
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 Facts
US Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday joined Elon Musk at SpaceX's Super Heavy Starship rocket launch at the company's facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The rocket test was successful; the "Super Heavy" booster did not return back to the launch tower, which was possible, and instead splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico.
Reports of Trump's trip first emerged after the Federal Aviation Administration announced a temporary lifting of flight restrictions over his Florida residence and announced a temporary restriction for "VIP movement" over Brownsville, Texas.
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.
