Donald Trump watched Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship launch above Texas on Tuesday alongside top allies and granddaughter Kai while continuing to fill the top roles in his administration.
The president-elect, 78, listened intently as the Tesla billionaire explained how his rockets work before watching the largest in his fleet take off on the horizon.
Wearing a red MAGA hat and surrounded by Republican Senators Ted Cruz, Bill Haggerty, Kevin Cramer and Rep. Ronny Jackson, he glared at the horizon as the starship shot upwards.
Trump made the visit to Brownsville while still making nominations for senior roles and said ‘no’ when asked by a reporter if he was reconsidering Matt Gaetz as his pick for Attorney General in the face of lurid allegations and Republican opposition in the Senate.
Musk has been by his side throughout the process of formulating his cabinet, whether at Mar-a-Lago for dinner with Melania or at the UFC fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The entrepreneur and Trump confidante has pumped billions into the Starship rocket system to get it into orbit for the first time.
Just before the launch, Trump announced that TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz was his pick to lead the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Then he confirmed that he would be nominating his transition co-chair and billionaire former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon to be his Education Secretary.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump looks on during a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 19, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. SpaceX’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk, a Trump confidante, has been tapped to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy
Donald Trump and Elon Musk at SpaceX’s headquarters in south Texas on Tuesday. Several lawmakers can also be seen flanking the pair including (from left to right) Sens. Hagerty, Cruz, and Cramer. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, can be seen in the MAGA hat to the right of Musk
Trump touched down at the SpaceX headquarters in Boca Chica, Texas, just hours ahead of Musk‘s largest launch yet.
The company conducted its sixth launch of its Starship rocket – the largest ever made.
Lift off occurred around 5:00 p.m. ET.
‘I’m heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground,’ Trump posted on social media ahead of the journey to south Texas.
‘Good luck to Elon Musk and the Great Patriots involved in this incredible project!’
Ultimately, the launch and separation were successful, but the starship booster landing did not go as planned and part of the rocket landed in the Gulf of Mexico and not on the landing pad as anticipated.
The moment sealed a long journey for Trump and Musk.
The visit to Musk’s company highlights Trump and his burgeoning relationship – and the Republican’s growing fascination with space exploration.
Elon Musk gives a tour to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and lawmakers of the control room before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 19, 2024
SpaceX launch towers prepared before take off. The starship rocket is 30 feet wide and stands at a towering 396 feet
Elon Musk points to his multi-billion dollar Starship rocket as it launches into the sky above Texas
Musk explains parts of the launch alongside Republican Senator Ted Cruz and the president-elect
Trump repeatedly mentioned Musk and his amazing space-related feats on the campaign trail.
‘Did you see the way that sucker landed today?’ Trump said in early October lauding one of SpaceX’s recent launchings and subsequent landings.
‘It only needs a new paint job,’ he remarked of the burnt exterior of the rocket that was engulfed in flames upon reentering the earth’s atmosphere.
‘That’s a lot cheaper than building a new one, right?’
At another rally in October, Trump again complimented the X owner.
‘Elon is a great guy, he’s one of our geniuses. We have to protect our geniuses and we have to take care of our geniuses. There aren’t too many of them,’ Trump said in late October.
He often exclaimed how impressed he was with how the company was able to engineer rockets that could be caught after hurdling back to Earth.
Though president-elect was unable to see the feat this go around as the rocket was forced to land in the gulf.
Trump repeatedly mentioned Musk and his amazing space-related feats on the campaign trail. ‘Did you see the way that sucker landed today?’ Trump said in early October l auding one of SpaceX’s recent launchings and subsequent landings
Musk has been close to Trump’s side since the election win on November 5 and has become a close confidante
The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, with Trump and his allies watching from afar
Donald Trump and Elon Musk walk into SpaceX’s headquarters in south Texas on Tuesday
Trump looks into the sky as the rocket takes off above Texas
Trump speaks as Elon Musk explains the operations in the control room ahead of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket
Musk talked through the process of launching the largest rocket in his fleet to the captive audience
The Tesla CEO spent significant time in swing states campaigning for the president-elect and began a PAC worth millions to support the reelection effort.
For his loyalty and support Trump recently appointed Musk, along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, to lead his newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
On Tuesday Trump showed his support for his loyal buddy by attending Musk’s most consequential launch to date.
Trump took a fly around the launch site on his plane Trump Force One ahead of landing to watch the launch.
A video posted by Trump aide Margo Martin shows the plane circling two launch towers edged up against the Gulf of Mexico preparing the rockets for take off.
