Of all the threats that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk hurled at one another as their alliance fell apart, those targeting Musk’s contracts with the US government have the potential to do the most damage.
In one sharp exchange triggered by Musk’s criticism of Trump’s signature tax and immigration bill, Trump threatened to cancel federal contracts with the billionaire’s company, SpaceX, that are worth more than $22 billion. Musk said he would decommission the spacecraft SpaceX uses to send supplies and people to the International Space Station, before walking back the statement.