The Trump White House has disrupted international space relations by pressuring prominent US companies — including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, K2, and Starcloud — to withdraw from French President Emmanuel Macron's Space Summit in Paris next week. Politico first reported the diplomatic turmoil, noting the White House "pressured" firms to skip the event organized by Macron to consolidate French and European space strategy. Multiple sources confirmed to Ars Technica that an official from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) led a call with US space companies late last week.

The summit, announced by Macron in June 2025, aims to mobilize global public and private partners. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and entrepreneur Hélène Huby were named special envoys. US government relations officials had queried OSTP about the meeting, which falls outside traditional international space conferences. White House officials grew concerned the summit would produce policy prescriptions on contentious issues like spectrum sharing that could disadvantage US firms.

During the teleconference, companies were advised that attending might not serve their interests, as they could face pressure to endorse policies misrepresenting their preferences. While not explicitly ordered to withdraw, the firms largely pulled out, though some US representation remains on the two-day program.