Trump pressure prompts four US space companies to pull out of Macron’s Paris summit

The Trump administration’s pressure on US space companies to boycott a major Paris summit has prompted four American firms, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, to withdraw from the event.

According to a report published by Politico on Wednesday, a White House official privately urged several US space companies to avoid the September 9–10 Paris Air and Space Summit.

The official, from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), warned that attending the gathering could be interpreted as an “endorsement” of EU policies opposed by Washington.

The companies initially contacted included SpaceX, Stoke Space, K2 Space and Astra, according to two industry representatives and a congressional staffer who spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity.

The White House official also condemned France for organizing the summit without consulting the US and accused Paris of pursuing “anti-competitive practices.”

The official further argued that the summit’s panels had not been designed to include the US position and could weaken the interests of American space companies.

Meanwhile, Washington sees China’s participation as a concern as Beijing is pursuing a major lunar program aimed at sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030.

Another OSTP official maintained that the call was intended to explain Washington’s position and answer questions, while rejecting the idea that companies had been ordered not to attend.

Executives were nevertheless left weighing whether to take part, with one industry representative saying, “US space companies are now in the awkward position of figuring out how to gracefully bow out.”

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The pressure has now been followed by an actual withdrawal from the summit.

Four US space companies said Thursday they would skip the event after coming under pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, rocket maker Stoke Space and Starcloud, a startup seeking to launch data centers in space, notified French authorities that they were “canceling their participation,” according to an official from the French space ministry.

The pressure also reflects wider tensions between Washington and Europe, which have deepened over tariffs and US military adventurism.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has added another major strain, with the aggression disrupting energy supplies and commercial shipping and exposing Europe to another severe energy shock.

France has responded to US pressure by pushing for greater strategic independence in space, with President Emmanuel Macron announcing an additional $4.88 billion in military space spending between 2026 and 2030.

The increase will bring France’s total military space spending to $11.85 billion, reflecting Europe’s growing effort to reduce its reliance on US space capabilities.

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