SpaceX and Blue Origin cancel their participation in the Paris Space Summit amid pressure from the White House

Four American aerospace companies, including the giants SpaceX and Blue Origin, have canceled their participation in the International Space Summit scheduled to take place in Paris on September 9 and 10. The decision was confirmed Thursday by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space. The other two companies that will no longer participate are Stoke Space and Starcloud. The French ministry told AFP that it is difficult not to associate the withdrawals with reports of pressure exerted on American firms.

Politico reported that the White House administration had allegedly pressured American space companies not to take part in the event. The summit was initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron and brings together representatives of the aerospace industry and the international space sector. French authorities said they want to maintain cooperation with their American partners and allies, even as strategic changes and political pressures complicate relations. The withdrawal of the four companies represents the latest development in a context of tensions over transatlantic space cooperation.