Nationalize SpaceX

Read the original at The Bulwark ↗
Cite

Last, J. V. (2026, October 27). Nationalize SpaceX. The Bulwark. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/nationalize-spacex-elon-musk

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

The Bulwark · collected 2026-10-27 · by Jonathan V. Last commentary

Quick Summary

This article is an opinion piece arguing for the need to address SpaceX's role as a national security risk through measures such as nationalization, breakup, or regulation. The author emphasizes that controlling interest in SpaceX poses significant risks regardless of who owns it and suggests separating discussions from Elon Musk’s involvement. The piece outlines potential dangers posed by SpaceX and proposes policy solutions to mitigate these threats.
Written by AI on 2026-10-29, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

As of 2026-10-27, Jonathan V. Last in *The Bulwark* argues for potentially nationalizing SpaceX, citing it as a national security vulnerability regardless of who controls the company. Last suggests that while "nationalize" is used in the headline, other options like breaking up or heavily regulating SpaceX are also under consideration. He emphasizes separating the figure of Elon Musk from the discussion on SpaceX's control and risks, noting that even if someone else managed it, the potential dangers to national security would persist.

Written for “Nationalize SpaceX” on 2026-10-29, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.
Reading Leans strongly left (beta estimate) Confidence high
Leaning: leans strongly left for article 109679 (high confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-29

Story

📰 Nationalize SpaceX
Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans strongly left and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Democrats will try to nationalize Elon Musk’s companies Different event
Washington Examiner
⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 0 of 9 claims Outlet record 70/100
“Article A is an opinion piece proposing nationalization of SpaceX without specifying immediate action or a particular political figure. Article B describes Robert Reich's remarks calling for future Democratic administration to take action, indicating different specific events.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 21 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans strongly left
expected in commentary, which argues a position · beta estimate
Publisher signals
not measured
these signals count newsroom corrections; Commentary has none to count
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
10
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-29 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Bulwark · 540 article(s) · 0 correction(s) detected
No corrections detected for this publisher. That may mean careful reporting, or simply that nothing has been checked.

Who wrote this

Jonathan V. Last
34 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Maybe we do!
2026-10-27 · assertive framing · Nationalize SpaceX
🔮 1. Forecasts We’re eight days out from Election Day.
2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Who’s Right? The Polls or the Vibes?
🔮 If you have questions for Tim, Sarah and JVL, send them to nextlevel@thebulwark.com and they may answer them on an upcoming episode of TNL.
2026-10-23 · assertive framing · The Worst Person in the World
🔮 1. Asymmetry Joe Manchin will be in Maine tomorrow campaigning for Susan Collins.
2026-10-20 · assertive framing · F*ck Joe Manchin
🔮 Trump could just move her over to the Shield of the Americas, because one of the fake jobs at that fake organization just opened up.
2026-10-16 · assertive framing · The Trump Administration Is Run on Kink
🔮 If you have questions for Tim, Sarah and JVL, send them to nextlevel@thebulwark.com and they may answer them on an upcoming episode of TNL.
2026-10-16 · assertive framing · So Many Bad Things
🔮 Texas might get a Democratic senator.
2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Susan Collins Is the Living Worst
🔮 Will Sommer joins Sarah and JVL for a wild, wild show.
2026-10-07 · assertive framing · MAGA’s Racism is Blowing Up Its Own Coalition
🔮 Every once in a while a “journalist” will jump from the press side into a comms role in a presidential administration.
2026-10-06 · assertive framing · The Propagandist in the Press Pool
🔮 Bulwark LIVE: Charlotte featuring Pete Buttigieg & The Gang—will be live streamed on Sunday, October 18 starting at 7pm EDT.
2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Tale of Two Interviews
Also by Jonathan V. Last
Trump’s Safe Space for Strongmen
2026-10-28 · The Bulwark
Who’s Right? The Polls or the Vibes?
2026-10-26 · The Bulwark
The Worst Person in the World
2026-10-23 · The Bulwark
F*ck Joe Manchin
2026-10-20 · The Bulwark
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 34 articles by Jonathan V. Last →

Topics

America Bulwark JVL SpaceX The Bulwark

Subjects

SpaceX ORG · 6× The Bulwark ORG · 3× Bulwark ORG · 2× JVL ORG · 2× America GPE · 1× Elon Musk PERSON · 1× Musk PERSON · 1× The Focus Group ORG · 1× Triad ORG · 1×

Narrative

- Get more from the voices you follow — ad-free podcasts plus member-only shows like The Secret Podcast with Sarah Longwell and JVL. - Get closer to The Bulwark — member-only chats, comments, and early access to Bulwark LIVE tickets.
framing: assertive · carried by 10 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-17
🔮 Maybe we do!
2026-10-17 · The Bulwark
Trump-Friendly Influencer Has MAJOR Buyer’s Remorse (w/ Mario Nawfal) · assertive framing
2026-10-18 · The Bulwark
Generals Must Be Willing to Sacrifice Their Careers | Command Post · assertive framing
2026-10-19 · The Bulwark
Bulwark LIVE: Charlotte · assertive framing
2026-10-22 · The Bulwark
MAGA Debaters Got WRECKED by a 20-Year-Old (w/ David Mauricio) · assertive framing
2026-10-23 · The Bulwark
Oil Prices Spike to $117 Over Fear of Iran War Escalation · assertive framing
2026-10-27 · The Bulwark
George Conway Is Sickened by What Trump and Vance Have Become · assertive framing
2026-10-29 · The Bulwark
Harry Enten and Julian Borger: Voting with Fear and Loathing · assertive framing
2026-10-29 · The Bulwark
Command Post: The Next Phase of the Iran War Could Be Far Worse · assertive framing
2026-10-29 · The Bulwark
Trump’s Safe Space for Strongmen · assertive framing
2026-10-29 · The Bulwark
Nationalize SpaceX · assertive framing

Claims (21 extracted, 0 hedged)

I’ve been making the case for nationalizing SpaceX for years, but I’ve never put the arguments all in one place. asserted
I → make → place
That’s what we’re doing today. asserted
we → ’ → what
Let’s stipulate that this newsletter won’t have all the answers. asserted
newsletter → stipulate → answers
It’s a starting point for deeper discussions. asserted
It → ’ → discussions
Something must be done about it. asserted
Something → do → it
First, my headline is “Nationalize SpaceX,” but that’s shorthand. asserted
that → nationalize → SpaceX
I don’t know that we need to “nationalize” the company, per se. asserted
we → know → company
Maybe we do! asserted
we → do → ?
Or maybe it needs to be broken up! Or aggressively regulated! asserted
it → need → ?
We can talk about nationalization as we go; just understand that it’s only one tool. asserted
it → talk → nationalization
That’s the first thing. asserted
That → ’ → ?
The second thing is that we should divorce the person of Elon Musk from this conversation. asserted
we → divorce → conversation
Musk is a uniquely dangerous individual and the fact that he controls SpaceX increases the national security risks. asserted
he → control → risks
But the risks would still exist no matter who controlled the company. asserted
who → exist → company
If he controlled SpaceX outright, it would still be an unacceptable risk for America. asserted
it → control → America
In the first section I’ll explain why SpaceX is a danger to national security. asserted
SpaceX → explain → security
In the second I’ll lay out some possible policy solutions. asserted
I → lay → solutions
Let me start by explaining why you can’t buy a combat-ready fighter jet. asserted
you → let → jet
Unlock this story—and everything from The Bulwark Become a paying member of The Bulwark to get access to this story and other subscriber-only content. asserted
Unlock → unlock → story
A subscription gets you: asserted
subscription → get → you
- Get more from the voices you follow — ad-free podcasts plus member-only shows like The Secret Podcast with Sarah Longwell and JVL. - Get closer to The Bulwark — member-only chats, comments, and early access to Bulwark LIVE tickets. asserted
you → get → tickets
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 29 Oct 2026