Donald Trump attends launch of Elon Musk owned SpaceX's Starship

Donald Trump. Pic/AFP

United States President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) attended the launch of SpaceX's Starship, owned by Elon Musk. Trump was seen alongside Musk as the rocket embarked on its sixth test flight from SpaceX's expansive rocket development site in Boca Chica, Texas.

The goal of this test flight was to ensure the booster's return to the launch site for recovery, reignite a ship Raptor engine while in space, and test various heatshield experiments and manoeuvring adjustments for the spacecraft's reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean.

The Starship test flight concluded successfully, with the rocket splashing down at its target in the Indian Ocean. Trump's presence at the launch site highlights Musk's growing role in the Trump administration. The President-elect has appointed Musk, along with Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

"I am pleased to announce that the great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)," Trump said in an official statement on Tuesday.

"Together, these two outstanding Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies--essential to the 'Save America' movement. This will send shockwaves through the system and put those involved in government waste on notice!" he added.

The DOGE will collaborate with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to spearhead large-scale structural reforms and foster an entrepreneurial approach to governance.

Donald Trump secured a second term as President of the United States by winning 295 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, defeating Democratic rival Kamala Harris, who received 226 votes. Following his victory, President-elect Trump has moved swiftly to finalise his foreign policy and national security team ahead of his formal inauguration in January 2025.

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