Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, has sharply criticized NASA's interim administrator Sean Duffy, calling him 'Sean Dummy' and questioning his intelligence amid a contentious battle for permanent leadership. This outburst follows Duffy's public remarks on SpaceX's delays in developing a lunar lander. The feud highlights tensions in the race to lead NASA under President Trump.
The dispute escalated on Tuesday when Elon Musk took to social media to attack Sean Duffy, NASA's acting administrator. Musk referred to Duffy as “Sean Dummy” and accused him of trying to kill NASA. He further stated, “The person responsible for America’s space program can’t have a 2 digit IQ.” This came after Duffy, a former congressman and current secretary of transportation, appeared on Fox News and CNBC on Monday to criticize SpaceX for falling behind on its lunar lander version of Starship.
The backdrop is a heated contest for NASA's permanent administrator. Billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman was nominated by President Trump last year but had his nomination withdrawn in late May for political reasons. Trump then appointed Duffy as interim leader. Sources indicate Duffy has enjoyed leading NASA, gaining positive media exposure, though a spokesperson denied he wants to keep the role permanently. The statement read: “Sean is grateful that the President gave him the chance to lead NASA... he’s never said he wants to keep the job himself. The President asked him to talk with potential candidates for Administrator, and he’s been happy to help by vetting people and giving his honest feedback.”
Duffy has made few moves toward finding a replacement, instead naming Amit Kshatriya, a longtime NASA employee and former flight director, as associate administrator. Kshatriya is skeptical of using SpaceX's Starship as a lunar lander. Over the weekend, Duffy reportedly contacted SpaceX competitors, including Blue Origin, to garner support for his continued tenure and expressed backing for their lunar programs.
Trump has met positively with Isaacman multiple times since the withdrawal, raising prospects of re-nomination. However, Musk and Isaacman do not communicate regularly, and Musk's comments appear driven by frustration over Duffy's public shaming of SpaceX, which has invested billions in Starship, despite NASA's frequent project delays.
This infighting occurs as NASA faces challenges: its workforce is down 20 percent due to cuts and retirements, morale is low, and leadership uncertainty persists. Duffy has suggested elevating NASA to Cabinet status, possibly under the Department of Transportation, to maintain oversight.