Elon Musk Plans to Relocate SpaceX and X from California Due to Gender-Identity Law

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk announced on Wednesday his decision to relocate the headquarters of his rocket company SpaceX and social media firm X from California to Texas. The move comes in response to a new California law that prohibits school officials from informing parents about their child’s gender identity changes.

SpaceX’s current office in Hawthorne, California, will shift to the company’s Starbase rocket launch site in Texas, while X will move from San Francisco to Austin, Musk disclosed on X.

Musk referenced a post by technology entrepreneur Jason Calacanis on X, questioning California’s role in parental oversight, stating, “This is the final straw. Due to this law and others that have targeted families and businesses, SpaceX will relocate its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.”

He highlighted previous warnings to Governor Newsom about the consequences of such laws, emphasizing that many others will likely follow suit.

Musk, who has a transgender daughter with whom he is estranged, has previously expressed support for transgender rights but has also criticized the use of preferred pronouns as part of what he views as an overly “woke” agenda detrimental to society.

In 2021, Musk moved Tesla’s corporate headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Austin, Texas.

California recently enacted a law preventing school districts from mandating staff to inform parents about their child’s gender identity changes. It prohibits schools from disclosing a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation without the student’s consent, aiming to protect LGBTQ+ students in potentially unwelcoming environments. Critics argue it could impede transparency between schools and parents.