‘This Is the Final Straw’: Elon Musk Says He’s Moving X, SpaceX to Texas

Both companies are currently headquartered in California.

By Emily Rella • edited by Melissa Malamut • Jul 17, 2024

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Key Takeaways

Elon Musk said he is moving SpaceX and X’s headquarters out of California to Texas.
The decision comes following a new bill signed into California state law on Monday.
Musk called the bill the “final straw.”

So long, California.

Elon Musk announced via X on Tuesday that he is planning to move both X and SpaceX’s headquarters out of California (and into Texas) due to “violent” actions near his offices and a new California law signed into effect by Governor Gavin Newsom affecting LGBTQ+ youth in schools.

In a series of posts on X, Musk first announced that Space X would be moving its HQ from Hawthorne, California to Starbase, Texas, calling Newsom’s latest bill the “final straw” of “many others that preceded it.”

I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024

Musk is referring to Assembly Bill 1955, which was signed into California state law on Monday. The law prohibits school districts in the state from forcing teachers or school staff to disclose to a parent when a student changes their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation without the student’s consent.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has a transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna, who has dropped Musk’s last name.

“I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children,” Musk said.

The billionaire continued to repost from other X accounts slamming the new bill.

Musk then announced that X would also be moving to the Lonestar State — this time out of San Francisco and into Austin.

Have had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024

Earlier this year, Musk moved SpaceX’s state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas after a Delaware judge voided his $56 billion Tesla compensation package.

Musk’s Tesla has been headquartered in Texas since 2021.

The decision to move the two companies isn’t a big surprise. A March 2023 report by the Wall Street Journal alleged that Musk had purchased thousands of acres of farmland near Austin to build a town for employees to live and work.

Musk did not publicly comment on the report.

Key Takeaways

Elon Musk said he is moving SpaceX and X’s headquarters out of California to Texas.
The decision comes following a new bill signed into California state law on Monday.
Musk called the bill the “final straw.”