Elon Musk Clashes with Acting NASA Chief Sean Duffy over Artemis III Contract, Calls Him ‘Incompetent’

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk this week launched a blistering public attack on Transportation Secretary and acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy. Calling him incompetent, the billionaire accused Duffy of jeopardizing the US space program. This comes after he said NASA would reopen or re-evaluate the contract for the Artemis III moon-landing mission currently held by Musk’s SpaceX.

The exchange began after Duffy told media that SpaceX was “behind schedule” on Starship development and that the administration would invite other companies to compete so the US can "win the second space race" with China.

Duffy said the White House wanted momentum to return Americans to the moon quickly. In response, Musk posted a series of barbed messages on his social platform, X, calling Duffy names and accusing him of trying to “dismantle” NASA and put astronauts at risk.

Immediate Reactions & Official Lines

Duffy replied in kind on social media, quipping that “great companies shouldn’t be afraid of a challenge,” and a NASA spokesperson said Duffy has focused the agency on the “clear goal” of returning Americans to the moon before China.

SpaceX has not lost the Artemis III contract, and NASA has not yet issued a formal request for new bids. Agency officials have instead asked SpaceX and other contractors to submit plans to accelerate their schedules.

Context & Background

The White House’s reported interest in reopening the Artemis III procurement follows concerns inside the government about schedule slippages on SpaceX’s Starship, the heavy-lift vehicle and lunar lander technology at the center of the Artemis crewed-landing plan.

Duffy, who also serves as Transportation Secretary, told interviewers the administration would not “wait for one company” if it risks falling behind competitors.

Musk characterised that posture as politicizing and crippling the agency, and he warned against folding NASA into a broader cabinet department under Transportation, a structural idea floated by some, saying such moves would undermine the agency’s independence and innovation.

The Artemis III award to SpaceX (announced in 2021) envisions a lunar landing in the mid-2020s; officials now expect slips that could push the timeline into 2028 or later. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos and holder of a later Artemis contract, and other aerospace firms are prepared to press their cases if NASA reopens competition.

The spat also revived past political firestorms around NASA leadership: the White House earlier withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination to head the agency, and some lawmakers and commentators have urged a different approach to contracting and oversight.

Politics & Process

Observers say the public exchanges reflect deeper tensions between private space companies and federal officials over schedule, cost and control.

The episode comes amid broader talk in Washington about NASA’s budget, structure and civilian leadership, with some Republicans publicly discussing higher-level changes and others pushing back against perceived politicisation.

Musk’s high-profile criticism underscores how commercial partnerships have shifted NASA’s relationships with contractors into the open political arena.

Beyond personal invective, the dispute touches on core questions about how the US manages commercial partners on major human-spaceflight programs: Who bears schedule risk, how much leverage does the government retain, and when is competition used to protect national goals?

For SpaceX, losing an Artemis contract or facing renewed competition would have strategic and financial implications; for NASA, the move raises questions about program continuity, oversight and international leadership in lunar exploration.