- Musk to move SpaceX and X HQ over gender-identity law
- New Californian law prohibits schools from requiring staff to disclose information about a child’s gender identity to parents
- Musk had previously relocated Tesla’s headquarters to Texas in 2021 due to COVID-era lockdowns
- His involvement in politics has grown, recently endorsing Donald Trump for president
- Musk says SpaceX will move its HQ from Hawthorne to Starbase, Texas. He also cited issues in San Francisco, leading to the decision to move X to Austin
- It remains unclear if the headquarters’ relocation will lead to job cuts in California
Musk to move SpaceX and X HQ over gender-identity law
Billionaire Elon Musk announced plans to move the headquarters of SpaceX and social media platform X from California to Texas. This decision follows Musk’s opposition to a new Californian law prohibiting schools from requiring staff to disclose information about a child’s gender identity to parents. Musk expressed his frustration, stating, “This is the last straw.”
This is the final straw.
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. https://t.co/cpWUDgBWFe— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024
Musk had previously relocated Tesla’s headquarters to Texas in 2021 due to COVID-era lockdowns. His involvement in politics has grown, recently endorsing Donald Trump for president and reportedly directing significant funds toward Trump’s campaign. Musk has a transgender daughter and has voiced his support for trans rights while criticising the use of pronouns and advocating against certain transgender medical treatments for minors.
In his announcement, Musk criticised California’s policies, saying SpaceX will move its HQ from Hawthorne to Starbase, Texas. He also cited issues in San Francisco, leading to the decision to move X to Austin. California Governor Gavin Newsom criticised Musk’s move, defending the law as protecting children and the parent-child relationship.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott welcomed the move, highlighting Texas’s leadership in space exploration. It remains unclear if the headquarters’ relocation will lead to job cuts in California, where SpaceX employs over 5,000 people.