Fact Check: Musk threatened to decommission the company’s Dragon spacecraft.

Fact Check: "Musk threatened to decommission the company’s Dragon spacecraft."

What We Know

On June 5, 2025, amid a public feud with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk made a statement indicating that SpaceX would "begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately" in response to Trump's threats to cut government contracts with SpaceX (AP News). The Dragon spacecraft is a crucial vehicle for transporting astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) and has been operational since 2012. Musk's initial threat came after Trump criticized Musk's business practices and suggested potential repercussions for SpaceX's government contracts (ABC News).

However, within hours of making the threat, Musk appeared to backtrack, stating in a reply to another user on social media that he would not follow through with the decommissioning (PBS News). This backtracking has led to some ambiguity regarding the seriousness of Musk's initial threat.

Analysis

The claim that Musk threatened to decommission the Dragon spacecraft is supported by multiple reputable sources, including the Associated Press and ABC News, both of which reported on the incident in detail (AP News, ABC News). The context of the threat is significant, as it arose from a heated exchange between Musk and Trump, indicating that it was not merely a casual remark but a reaction to a specific political situation.

While Musk's subsequent retraction of the threat may suggest that it was not a serious intention, the fact remains that he did make the statement publicly. The reliability of the sources reporting on this incident is high, as they are established news organizations with a history of accurate reporting on space and technology matters. However, the sensational nature of the feud may lead to varying interpretations of Musk's intentions.

Experts have commented on the implications of Musk's threat, emphasizing the critical role SpaceX plays in NASA's operations and the potential fallout from such a decision (ABC News). This adds weight to the seriousness of the threat, even if it was later retracted.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
Elon Musk did indeed threaten to decommission the Dragon spacecraft, as confirmed by multiple credible sources. While he later retracted this statement, the initial claim is accurate. The context of the threat, stemming from a public dispute with President Trump, highlights the volatile nature of the situation, but it does not negate the fact that the threat was made.