Governor Gavin Newsom of California didn’t mince words in response to Elon Musk’s decision to relocate SpaceX and X out of the state. The move, announced by Musk following Newsom’s approval of a bill related to transgender children, drew sharp criticism from the governor.
In a direct and forceful social media post, Newsom accused Musk of capitulation, stating, “You bent the knee,” alongside a pointed reminder of former President Trump’s past criticism of the tech billionaire.
Musk had earlier cited the legislation, which bans school districts from mandating parental notification for gender identity changes, as “the final straw” prompting SpaceX’s relocation from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.
“Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas,”
The Tesla CEO asserted that he had warned Newsom well in advance about the consequences such laws would have on California’s business climate. He also added that X would move its headquarters from San Francisco to Austin, Texas.
Newsom’s response, confirmed by his office, included referencing Trump’s earlier comments, suggesting he was the reason for Musk’s successes.
“When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it’s electric cars that don’t drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he’d be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, ‘drop to your knees and beg,’ and he would have done it,” Trump said in a post.
You bent the knee. pic.twitter.com/5CNAWvZFSv
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 16, 2024
Musk recently formally endorsed Trump after Saturday’s assassination attempt and donated to the America PAC. He also said he plans to give the former president around $45 million a month.
