Jeff Bezos has just as much at stake in this election as Elon Musk

• Jeff Bezos's newspaper The Washington Post decided not to endorse a statesmanlike candidate.
• The billionaire has been little salient successful nan predetermination than Elon Musk — but still has overmuch astatine stake.
• Bezos's Blue Origin is moving pinch NASA and nan Pentagon arsenic it plays catch-up pinch Musk's SpaceX.

The Washington Post's determination not to endorse a statesmanlike candidate has put nan governmental spotlight connected its owner, Jeff Bezos, who, for illustration galore billionaires, has tried to enactment retired of it.

Executives from Bezos' rocket institution Blue Origin, including CEO Dave Limp, said pinch Donald Trump connected Friday, The Associated Press reported. That was nan aforesaid time nan newspaper announced it would not endorse a statesmanlike candidate for nan first clip successful 36 years.

The New York Times reported that nan determination was made by Bezos. The Washington Post Guild claimed connected X that an endorsement of Kamala Harris had already been drafted.

The Post's patient and CEO, William Lewis, said successful a connection that reporting astir Bezos' domiciled engagement had been inaccurate.

"As Publisher, I do not judge successful statesmanlike endorsements. We are an independent newspaper and should support our readers' expertise to dress up their ain minds," Lewis said.

The determination has sparked nan resignations of nan Post's editor astatine large, Robert Kagan, and columnist Michele Norris. Former executive editor Marty Baron said nan move was "cowardice, pinch populist arsenic its casualty."

"Donald Trump will spot this arsenic an invitation to further intimidate proprietor Jeff Bezos (and others)," Baron said connected X.

Much of nan attraction successful caller months has been connected nan erstwhile Amazon CEO's space entrepreneur rival, Elon Musk. Musk has campaigned extensively for Trump, who said successful 1 run reside that "Elon promised" that "we will scope Mars earlier nan extremity of my term."

Bezos, who has said thing publically astir either candidate, has overmuch astatine liking successful nan election.

Like each backstage abstraction companies, Blue Origin relies heavy connected national contracts and is competing pinch SpaceX for authorities and subject projects.

The rocket patient has a $3.4 cardinal statement pinch NASA to build a lunar lander for its Artemis V mission, which is owed to transportation group to nan satellite for nan first clip successful decades.

Blue Origin was besides selected successful June arsenic a preferred supplier for Pentagon contracts worthy $5.6 cardinal — nan first clip it's been fixed nan greenish ray to motorboat nationalist information satellites.

The institution is gearing up to motorboat its biggest rocket yet, nan 320-foot New Glen, later this year.

SpaceX's lead

The partially reusable rocket is Blue Origin's reply to SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, but is years down schedule aft a bid of setbacks.

That hold has seen SpaceX look arsenic nan clear leader successful nan backstage abstraction race.

The Texas-based institution launched its Falcon Heavy rocket astir 100 times past twelvemonth and is testing nan even-larger Starship rocket that it plans to nonstop to Mars in 2 years' time.

SpaceX and Blue Origin person frequently clashed complete NASA contracts and rocket launches complete nan years — and Musk's ardent support of nan Republican campaigner intends he could wield important influence successful a imaginable Trump administration.

The SpaceX laminitis has been heavy progressive successful nan campaign, donating tens of millions to a Trump run PAC and turning retired for Trump successful important battleground states.

Blue Origin did not respond to a petition for remark from Business Insider.