Bezos Meets Trump Twice This Month Seeking More Government Contracts For Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin, has been actively engaging with President Trump, aiming to secure more government contracts for his space company. According to reports, Bezos has held two meetings with Trump this month, while Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp met with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles in mid-June. During these discussions, Bezos and his team have been pushing for increased government support, leveraging the recent public fallout between Trump and Elon Musk.

The timing of these meetings is strategic, coming after Musk's public criticism of Trump-backed legislation and his suggestion to start a new political party. This led to Trump withdrawing his support for Musk's NASA nominee and warning that Musk's companies might lose their government deals. Trump's public statement indicated a willingness to terminate Musk's governmental subsidies and contracts, which opened a window for Bezos to step in.

Bezos offers Trump what Musk can't, which is a strong alignment with Trump's space ambitions. Trump has expressed interest in a crewed mission to the moon during his term, and Blue Origin is planning to land a cargo ship on the moon this year. However, SpaceX, Musk's company, is significantly ahead in terms of launch capabilities and government contracts. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which made its first orbital flight in January, has faced delays, with its next flight scheduled for mid-August. In contrast, SpaceX is expected to achieve 170 launches by 2025, many of which are tied to government missions.

Despite the challenges, Blue Origin is aiming for several major future government contracts, including Trump's "Golden Dome" missile-defense plan and upcoming Mars programs. Limp has been pushing the company to accelerate its development and compete more aggressively. Bezos has also been working on repairing his relationship with the White House, which was strained during Trump's first term. Trump had accused Bezos of using the Washington Post to attack his presidency and launched an investigation into Amazon's Postal Service contracts. However, Bezos has since built connections with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and backed the Washington Post's decision not to endorse any candidate, which was praised by Trump.

Bezos has also made significant financial contributions to support Trump's initiatives. Amazon paid nearly three times the next highest offer for a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, with a significant portion of the money going directly to her. Additionally, Amazon contributed $1 million to Trump's 2025 inauguration, where Bezos and his fiancée were seated prominently. Bezos even invited Trump to his wedding in Venice, further solidifying his efforts to keep Trump happy and aligned with his space ambitions. Whether these efforts will be enough to push Blue Origin ahead of SpaceX in the government contract race remains to be seen, but Bezos' strategic moves have certainly brought him back into Trump's favor, replacing Musk as the preferred billionaire in Trump's circle.