
Gov. Gavin Newsom has unexpectedly thrown his support behind Elon Musk in a legal dispute between the SpaceX CEO and the California Coastal Commission. The Commission recently rejected SpaceX’s plan to increase rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, a decision that Musk claims was influenced by his political support for President Donald Trump.
During an interview after a campaign event, Newsom stated, “I’m with Elon,” and criticized the Commission for allowing politics to influence their decision. “You can’t bring up that explicit level of politics,” Newsom said, agreeing with Musk’s contention that the Commission acted improperly by citing Musk’s political activities.
Musk has since filed a lawsuit against the Commission, accusing them of political retaliation. Despite his long-standing political differences with Musk, Newsom acknowledged that in this case, the Commission was wrong to let politics affect the decision to block SpaceX’s expansion. Newsom added, “I didn’t like that,” indicating his disapproval of how the Commission handled the situation.
Although Newsom has frequently clashed with Musk on issues like California’s social policies and regulations on AI, his alignment with Musk in this instance shows that even political rivals can find common ground. Newsom emphasized that regulatory decisions should be based solely on the merits of the case, not on the political views of the applicant.
The dispute is expected to play out in the courts, but Musk, known for his determination and resources, appears ready to challenge the Commission’s decision. Meanwhile, Newsom’s unexpected support highlights the importance of keeping political bias out of regulatory matters.