Elon Musk has received assurances from President-elect Trump that SpaceX will receive a free pass from any tariffs the incoming President imposes. Preliminary work has already begun on drafting Executive Orders implementing tariffs that ensure mechanisms will exist that make it easy for chosen entities to be exempted at the President’s command. While details continue to be fleshed out, the exemption may take the form of a separate non-enforcement order, to avoid creating public spectacles that could interfere with implementation of the President’s objectives.
National Security needs is expected to be the cited purpose for the exemptions, noting that SpaceX is a government contractor and needs to be protected from possible foreign retaliation or influence attempts. Elon Musk has personally lobbied the President-elect extensively to convince him to enact the exemptions. Musk has spent several weeks at Mar-a-Lago since the election, bringing deep pockets to a transition effort that is not subject to financial oversight.
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