US Space Companies Withdraw from French Space Summit Amid White House Pressure

<p>Several US space companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, K2, and Starcloud, have withdrawn from a French space summit organized by President Emmanuel Macron. This decision follows reports of pressure from the White House for these companies to skip the event, which is scheduled to take place next week in Paris.</p><p>Politico first reported on the situation, highlighting the diplomatic tensions arising from the withdrawal. While the companies have not publicly commented on their decision, some US representation will still attend the two-day program.</p><p>Sources have indicated that a representative from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) led a call with US space companies late last week. This call was initiated in response to inquiries from the US industry regarding the French summit, which is not considered part of the standard international space conference circuit.</p>