Elon Musk has announced that he will soon relocate both SpaceX and X headquarters from California to Texas, citing political disagreements and a desire for a healthier business environment.
Musk confirmed the decision to move both companies, explaining his decision in a series of online statements Tuesday.
“Have had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building,” Musk wrote on X.
The announcement comes on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a controversial bill into law that bans schools from notifying parents if their child identifies as transgender.
“This is the Final Straw, “ Musk posted on X. “Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas,” he wrote.
He also confirmed that X, which he bought as “Twitter” in 2022 for $44 billion, will be moving to Austin, Texas.
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the initial goal of lowering space transportation costs and ultimately establishing a sustainable colony on Mars.
Starbase, located near South Padre Island on the Gulf of Mexico, already serves as SpaceX’s primary hub for manufacturing and launching the Starship project. The recent successful test launch of the Starship Spacecraft and Super Heavy Rocket have played a critical role in Musk’s vision for the future of space travel. The location is one of SpaceX’s four active U.S. launch sites.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott praised the decision to move the company to Texas on July 16, writing, “This solidifies Texas as the leader in space exploration.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Texas has steadily cemented its status as a key operational center for Musk’s ventures, notably becoming home to Tesla’s headquarters in 2021.
Earlier this year, Tesla shareholders approved the decision to make Texas the company’s new legal headquarters. In a poll posted to X, 87.1% of voters favored the relocation to Texas.
Following its move to Austin in late 2021, Tesla experienced rapid growth. By the end of 2023, it had nearly doubled the number of employees at Gigafactory Texas, according to a report from the San Antonio Express-News.
Tesla operates six integrated factories across three continents, employing more than 100,000 workers worldwide.