Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX, announced on Tuesday that he plans to relocate the company’s headquarters from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas. This decision comes in response to a newly passed California bill, AB 1955, which prohibits local governments from forcing teachers to notify parents if students change their gender identity at school.
Musk’s announcement was made via a tweet, where he expressed his frustration with the new legislation and other previous laws he believes are detrimental to families and businesses. “This is the final straw. 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,” Musk tweeted, referencing comments from tech investor Jason Calacanis and the LibsofTikTok account. In a follow-up tweet, Musk revealed that his social media company, X, would also relocate to Austin, Texas, citing safety concerns. “Have had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building,” Musk tweeted.
The California law that sparked Musk’s ire was passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature in response to local school districts, such as Chino Valley and Temecula, which had implemented rules requiring teachers to inform parents when students change their names or pronouns. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on Monday, triggering outrage among anti-trans activists on X. Assemblymember Chris Ward, a Democrat from San Diego and the bill’s author, defended the legislation, stating that teachers should not act as the “gender police.”
“Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California,” Ward told the L.A. Times. He urged parents to love their children unconditionally for who they are.
Musk’s opposition to the bill aligns with his history of contentious views on gender identity, highlighted by his estranged relationship with his eldest child, who is transgender.
The move’s impact on SpaceX’s business relationships remains unclear, given Southern California’s significance to the defense industry. This isn’t Musk’s first relocation to Texas; he moved Tesla from Palo Alto to Austin in 2021 and relocated his personal residence to the state as well.