The White House reportedly privately discouraged Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) and other U.S. space companies from attending Emmanuel Macron’s Space Summit in Paris, warning that participation could be seen as tacit support for European Union policy positions.
White House Raises Concerns Over Paris Summit
According to a Politico report on Wednesday, an official from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy told SpaceX, Stoke Space, K2 Space and Astra on a private Thursday call that France had failed to coordinate with Washington, engaged in “anti-competitive practices” and designed summit panels without enough American perspective. The official also raised concerns about China’s attendance.
The administration stopped short of ordering a boycott. An OSTP official said companies received no “marching orders” and added, “The Trump administration continues to collaborate with allies and partners in space.”
One industry representative speaking to Politico said U.S. companies were left in the “awkward position of figuring out how to gracefully bow out.”
The Sept. 9-10 summit will gather nearly 120 foreign delegations alongside space agencies, military officials and industry leaders, according to France’s Foreign Ministry. Officials from OSTP, NASA, State and Commerce still plan to attend.
Benzinga reached out to SpaceX, Stoke Space, K2 Space and Astra for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Europe Pushes For Greater Space Independence
The friction comes as Europe accelerates efforts to reduce dependence on U.S. launch infrastructure. Macron’s national space strategy emphasizes independent European access to space, while France has earmarked an additional €4.2 billion for military space from 2026 through 2030. France also plans more than €16 billion in civil and dual-use space spending by 2030.
Reuters reported Tuesday that the European Space Agency is studying higher Ariane 6 and Vega-C launch rates as satellite demand grows, while Arianespace expects up to 10 Ariane 6 launches annually from 2027.
SpaceX Still Leads Global Launch Race
Macron celebrated Ariane 6 after it launched 32 Amazon satellites in February, declaring, “Amazon, your package has been delivered.” The mission marked the debut of the more powerful Ariane 64 configuration.
SpaceX remains far ahead in launch cadence. The company completed its 100th Falcon mission of 2026 in August, while Falcon 9 recently won $1.6 billion in Space Force launch contracts.
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