Martina Navratilova accuses $363 billion-worth Elon Musk of chasing government dollars after SpaceX- Donald Trump's missile defense project reports
Tennis icon Martina Navratilova took aim at $363.6 billion-worth Elon Musk (as per Forbes) after reports surfaced that his aerospace firm SpaceX is set to play a major role in President Donald Trump’s ambitious "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative. Navratilova, a long-time critic of Musk, threw subtle shade at the tech mogul’s government ties.
The missile defense project, dubbed "Golden Dome," has become a buzzword in defense and political circles for its ambitious vision of safeguarding American skies. Spearheaded by the 47th American President Trump, the initiative aims to build a sweeping, space-based missile shield capable of tracking and intercepting a wide array of threats—including ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles.
With plans to launch between 400 and 1,000 tracking satellites and up to 200 armed interceptors, the endeavor is poised to redefine the landscape of national defense. And standing at the forefront of this cutting-edge effort is Musk’s SpaceX, which, alongside partners Palantir and Anduril, appears to be leading the charge.
SpaceX’s strategic edge lies in its well-established satellite infrastructure and its military-geared Starshield division—a spinoff from its broader Starlink program. As reported by Breaking Defense and Politico, this technological arsenal makes SpaceX a top contender for contracts under the Golden Dome framework.
Martina Navratilova took to X (formerly Twitter) on April 15, 2025, to share her take. Responding to growing speculation around Musk's involvement in the multibillion-dollar defense project, she posted:
"Government money was the play all along."
Martina Navratilova called out Elon Musk’s FAA-Starlink contract as the ‘biggest grift of all time’
Martina Navratilova didn’t hold back in her criticism of Elon Musk’s Starlink, referring to its newly acquired Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contract as the “biggest grift of all time.” Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet venture, recently took over a major deal with the Federal Aviation Administration to revamp the country’s air traffic communication systems—a project estimated to be worth around $2 billion.
The contract centers on replacing the FAA’s outdated network infrastructure. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion responded to the development on X (formerly Twitter), posting her sharp remark against the tech billionaire:
"Wow… this grift is the biggest grift of all time."
In other news, Martina Navratilova condemned Elon Musk for allegedly pulling funding from a task force focused on rescuing kidnapped Ukrainian children amid the war with Russia.