By Luis Montoya
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Citing national security concerns, two center-right commentators have called for the nationalization of two Elon Musk companies, SpaceX and Starlink.
The two commentators are Stuart Stevens, a veteran GOP political strategist and Lincoln Project adviser, and Jonathan V. Last, editor and writer at The Bulwark, a center-right leaning publication.
Both have made arguments asserting that SpaceX and Starlink pose a major national security risk and should be brought under state control or nationalized.
Jonathan V. Last (The Bulwark)
In a feature piece titled "Nationalize SpaceX" (published in The Triad newsletter at The Bulwark), Last framed SpaceX not as a standard tech startup, but as a critical aerospace and communications utility vital to U.S. defense infrastructure.
- National Security Threat: Last argues that because SpaceX controls vital satellite networks (Starlink/Starshield) and launch services, leaving single-handed control or leverage over the platform to Musk creates an unacceptable single-point-of-failure risk for the nation.
- Scope of Solution: Last clarifies that while "Nationalize SpaceX" serves as a catch-all title, the overarching requirement is that the enterprise "must be brought to heel and aligned with America’s interests". He proposes options ranging from outright government nationalization or breaking up the company to heavy regulatory oversight.
- Beyond Musk: Last emphasizes that even under a different, well-intentioned owner, allowing a single private enterprise to possess critical sovereign-level power over orbit and communications remains a structural vulnerability for the United States.
Stuart Stevens (The Lincoln Project)
Stuart Stevens has repeatedly argued that private control over strategic military-adjacent assets like Starlink compromises national defense:
- Defense Production Act: Stevens has argued that Democrats should vote to nationalize Starlink and SpaceX using the Defense Production Act on day one of gaining control of Congress or the presidency.
- National Security Risk: In podcast commentary (such as Fast Politics) and media appearances, Stevens labels Musk's control over military and intelligence-linked aerospace infrastructure a direct national security threat—pointing specifically to instances where Starlink access affected global geopolitical conflict.
