WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) President-electDonald Trumpappears to be planning to attend aSpaceXStarship rocket launch on Tuesday, in the latest indication of founderElon Musks influence in the Republican s orbit.
TheFederal Aviation Administrationhasissuedtemporary flight restrictions over Brownsville and Boca Chica, Texas area for a VIP visit that coincides with the SpaceX launch window for a test of its massive Starship rocket from its launch facility on the Gulf of Mexico. The flight restrictions put in place over Trump s home in Palm Beach, Florida when he is there will be lifted briefly while the Texas security measures are in place.
Trump s visit comes as billionaire Musk has been a near-constant presence at Trump s side as he builds out his administration, attending meetings at Trump s Mar-a-Lago club, accompanying him to meetings with Capitol Hill Republicans in Washington last week and to a UFC fight in New York on Saturday.
Trump frequently regaled audiences on the campaign trail with a dramatic account of the last Starship test, that included thecapture of the boosterat its launchpad by a pair of mechanical arms.
Tuesday s 30-minute launch window opens at 4 p.m. central time,according to the company, with the company again looking to test the landing capture system of the booster in Texas, while the upper stage continues to a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Musk pumpedan estimated $200 millionthrough his political action committee to help elect Trump and has been named, along with former GOP presidential candidateVivek Ramaswamy, to lead anadvisory committeetasked by Trump to dramatically cut governmental costs and reshape how Washington operates, which has sparkedethics concernsover Musk s many interests before the federal government.
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president-elect s plans.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
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