Elon Musk says Sean Duffy 'trying to kill NASA' amid Artemis moon landing contract spat
WASHINGTON, DC: SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk attacked NASA Administrator Sean Duffy on Tuesday, October 21 after the latter implied that SpaceX's lunar schedule was behind schedule and threatened to competitively open the Artemis moon landing contract.
The person responsible for America’s space program can’t have a 2 digit IQ https://t.co/U4O2GERiTg
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 21, 2025
Musk's attack centered largely on Duffy's intelligence and qualifications, "The individual in charge of America's space program can't have a 2 digit IQ."
Elon Musk calls Transportation Secretary 'Sean Dummy'
He also called the Transportation Secretary "Sean Dummy" and charged him with "trying to kill NASA!"
Musk even ridiculed Duffy's previous career as a competitive speed climber with a survey seeking responses as to whether a person whose "biggest claim to fame is climbing trees" should head the US space program.
Should someone whose biggest claim to fame is climbing trees be running America’s space program? 🤔
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 21, 2025
The public feud was sparked by Duffy's remarks to the media on Monday, 20 October that SpaceX was "behind" in working on the lunar landing system for the Artemis III mission.
Duffy dropped a veiled threat that the agency would go after other bidders, like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, to get back to the Moon ahead of China.
We are in a race against China so we need the best companies to operate at a speed that gets us to the Moon FIRST.
— NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy (@SecDuffyNASA) October 20, 2025
SpaceX has the contract to build the HLS which will get U.S. astronauts there on Artemis III.
But, competition and innovation are the keys to our dominance in… pic.twitter.com/dAo0so5qqZ
Battle for NASA's top spot begins
A battle is raging within MAGA ranks over who will be confirmed as the next NASA chief, according to The Wall Street Journal. Interim boss Duffy is campaigning hard to hold on to the job.
Sources say Duffy is so determined he's even suggested putting NASA under the aegis of the Department of Transportation, where he is Secretary.
Elon Musk prefers Jared Isaacman over Sean Duffy
Duffy's desire confronts head-on Elon Musk, who is advocating for his buddy, business tech entrepreneur and one-time SpaceX civilian astronaut, Jared Isaacman, for the position.
Isaacman was originally put forward for the role in December 2024 but had his name taken out of consideration early this year after a public battle of words between President Trump and Musk over the Jeffrey Epstein documents.
Isaacman, allegedly assisted by lobbyists and social media influencers (something he denies), is now attempting to reinstate himself in the administration's good books.
Negotiations between Duffy and Isaacman regarding a renomination have been described as "contentious." A determination regarding the NASA leadership position is forthcoming, which adds pressure to these efforts.
Isaacman's former support for Democratic politicians has been cited as having played a role in his nomination being withdrawn.
Fueling the debate further, Musk himself has gone public with criticism of Duffy, claiming that NASA will not beat SpaceX to the Moon.
Duffy's temporary acting role within the agency is to end later this year. The White House has indicated that any news will come directly from the president, but no deadline has been provided as yet.
