That’s because…technically…the government mostly provides contracts to SpaceX to take their stuff to and from orbit. They’re basically paying for a service…not investing in SpaceX’s product development. Even though that is an indirect result of giving them those contracts.
It’s like hiring a landscaper to do your lawn. They come with their own equipment, so even though they bought it using the money you pay them…you don’t own any of it. They do.
SpaceX is a privately owned company. I’m absolutely certain the US government doesn’t own any of their intellectual property. If they chose to, they could move the entire operation to any other country, and US courts could probably do nothing to prevent it.
And that is most likely why they are now a “former” DOGE engineer.
Aaaaaand…this is why you don’t outsource this kind of shit to private interests. At any point, they can just pick up their ball and go home. Now all the money they invested in SpaceX just gets flushed down the drain. The government winds up with nothing to show for it.
Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long.
Except that it is still America, and the government seizing private property…especially from a billionaire…is straight up “socialism” as far as most Americans are concerned. I have a feeling that might not go over as easily as people think.