Jeff Bezos is building ties with Trump while he is in a fight with Musk

Jeff Bezos and his company Blue Origin have stepped up their engagement with the Trump administration, seeking to strengthen their position in the fight for government space contracts. Bezos met with the president at least twice in June, and Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp held talks with the White House chief of staff, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The intensification of contacts coincided with the conflict between Donald Trump and Elon Musk - before that, Musk was an informal advisor to the president. In June, Trump even announced his intention to cancel government subsidies for Musk's companies, which could be an opportunity for Blue Origin.

Although SpaceX is ahead of Blue Origin in terms of launches and contracts — it won a $5.9 billion contract from the U.S. Space Force in April, while Blue Origin only won $2.4 billion — Jeff Bezos’ company is also growing. In January, the New Glenn rocket first reached orbit, and another launch is planned for the fall. In addition, Amazon, also owned by Bezos, recently launched another batch of Kuiper satellites into orbit, increasing competition with Starlink.

It is also known that both companies are preparing to compete for new contracts, including under the Golden Dome missile defense initiative and NASA's proposed lunar missions, as proposed by the White House. Trump also wants to see a manned mission to the moon during his term, according to sources.

The political dynamic has also changed: After past criticism, Trump and Bezos have forged a personal relationship, including through friendships with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Amazon also acquired the rights to a documentary about Melania Trump for $40 million, and Bezos himself appeared at the presidential inauguration.