Elon Musk’s SpaceX has cancelled its attendance at France’s International Space Summit scheduled for September 9-10 in Paris, following pressure from the White House to skip the event, according to reporting from Politico and Reuters on September 3, 2026.
A White House official from the Office of Science and Technology Policy held a private call with SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, K2 Space, and Astra last week, warning that attending the summit could appear to signal support for European Union policy positions with which the Trump administration disagrees. While the official emphasized the decision to attend remains ultimately up to the companies, the tone and framing of the call made clear the administration’s discouragement.
According to industry representatives and a congressional staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity, the White House official accused France of not coordinating with the U.S. on the summit, suggested “anti-competitive practices,” and raised concerns that panels were not designed to include American perspectives. The official also voiced concern about China’s attendance at the symposium, which is expected to draw more than 120 countries.
Four U.S. space companies—SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, and Starcloud—have now cancelled their participation, according to France’s ministry. Some announcements planned for release at the summit between European and U.S. companies have since been cancelled as well.
The cancellations underscore escalating tensions between the Trump administration and its European allies. The White House’s pushback comes amid broader disputes over tariffs, American troop deployments in Europe, and competing visions for space policy. France and the European Union are accelerating investments in space independence, with French President Emmanuel Macron announcing a planned increase of €4.2 billion in military space spending from 2026 to 2030, bringing total military space spending to €10.2 billion. Macron has repeatedly called for Europe to become a “space power” and reduce reliance on U.S. companies like SpaceX for satellite communications and rocket launches.
Despite the administration’s concerns about the event, officials from the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, the State Department, Commerce Department, and NASA are still planning to attend the summit. An OSTP official stated: “The Trump Administration continues to collaborate with allies and partners in space. We look forward to productive conversations at the Space Summit on key priorities including science missions, exploration programs and space security.”
The International Space Summit aims to promote dialogue on the future of space strategy and security among world leaders, space agencies, scientists, and military officials. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to deliver a major speech at the event.
One industry representative told Politico that U.S. space companies face an awkward position. “Europe is an important market for U.S. space companies but not as important as America,” the representative said. “U.S. space companies are now in the awkward position of figuring out how to gracefully bow out.” The pressure reflects a broader administration strategy to discourage American participation in forums it views as advancing European strategic autonomy.
Sources
- Politico — White House pressure on space companies to skip the summit, details of the private call, industry reactions, and context on France’s space spending plans.
- Reuters — Confirmation of SpaceX’s cancellation, details on the White House call, and context on European space investment and independence efforts.
- Le Monde — Confirmation that four U.S. companies (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Starcloud) cancelled attendance and French government statement.
