Reuters: Trump turns to Bezos as tensions with Musk shake up $175 billion defence project

The Trump administration is expanding its search for partners to develop the $175 billion Golden Dome missile defence system, reaching out to Amazon’s Project Kuiper and major defence contractors as relations with Elon Musk and his company SpaceX continue to sour, according to three sources familiar with the matter, quoted by Reuters.

This strategic pivot marks a significant move away from the heavy reliance on Musk’s SpaceX, whose Starlink and Starshield satellite constellations have become essential to the US military's communications infrastructure. The shift comes in the wake of a public fallout between Trump and Musk on June 5, which further strained an already tenuous relationship.

Even before the public spat, officials within the Pentagon and the White House had begun quietly exploring alternatives, citing concerns over dependency on a single private-sector partner for key components of the space-based defence shield, two of the sources said.

Neither Musk nor SpaceX responded to requests for comment. Following an earlier Reuters report indicating that SpaceX was the leading candidate to build components of the Golden Dome, Musk posted on X that his company had “not tried to bid for any contract in this regard,” adding that, “Our strong preference would be to stay focused on taking humanity to Mars.”

Despite this, SpaceX remains well-positioned to play a major role in the program. Its unmatched launch capacity and the experience gained from deploying over 9,000 Starlink satellites give it a continuing edge in securing future launch contracts, according to the sources.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has approached Amazon’s Project Kuiper about joining the initiative, signaling a broader willingness by the administration to integrate emerging commercial space technologies into national defense. Though Kuiper has so far launched only 78 of a planned 3,000 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the project is seen as a promising new entrant.

Amazon’s Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos told Reuters in January that Kuiper would be “primarily commercial,” but acknowledged that “there will be defense uses for these [low-earth orbit] constellations, no doubt.” A spokesperson for Project Kuiper declined to comment on its involvement in Golden Dome. The Pentagon also declined to comment, while the White House did not respond to requests.

Golden Dome is envisioned as a layered missile defense shield reminiscent of Israel’s Iron Dome, but far more expansive. Its complexity requires a global network of orbiting satellites to provide near-constant surveillance and intercept capabilities over vast territories.

“In the search for more vendors for the satellite layers of Golden Dome, Kuiper is a big one,” a US official confirmed, underscoring the growing importance of LEO satellite networks in modern defense architecture.

While SpaceX is likely to remain central to the program due to its proven launch capability, its share of Golden Dome could shrink, two of the sources said. The US government has already initiated discussions with newer rocket companies such as Stoke Space and Rocket Lab, both of which are gaining traction in the sector.

“As the program matures, each individual launch is going to get bid,” said the US official. “We have to actually give bids to other people besides SpaceX.”

By Tamilla Hasanova