Jeff Bezos, founder of space exploration company Blue Origin, has held at least two conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks, as he moves to position his firm for a greater share of lucrative government space contracts, according to a report published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal.

The outreach comes at a time when Trump, who is running for a second non-consecutive term in office, has renewed public criticism of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, a longtime rival of Bezos both in business and ideology.

The mounting tension between Trump and Musk appears to be creating an opening for Bezos, who is now seizing the opportunity to strengthen Blue Origin’s relationship with Washington.

In addition to Bezos’s personal outreach, Dave Limp, the recently appointed CEO of Blue Origin, reportedly visited the White House earlier this month to meet with Trump’s chief of staff.

Blue Origin, which has lagged behind SpaceX in launch capabilities and federal contracts, is attempting to reshape the narrative and its fortunes by appealing to Republican leadership.

The company is currently competing for high-stakes contracts from NASA and the Pentagon, many of which are critical to long-term plans for lunar exploration, satellite infrastructure, and national security payloads.

Although the specifics of Bezos’s conversations with Trump remain undisclosed, political analysts suggest the tech mogul may be working to leverage political shifts to Blue Origin’s advantage, especially in light of Trump’s deteriorating relationship with Musk.

Musk, who previously aligned with several Trump-era policies, has recently criticized the former president’s campaign rhetoric and policy proposals, drawing fire from Trump in return.

SpaceX, meanwhile, has continued to dominate the commercial spaceflight industry and remains a top contractor for NASA, launching crewed missions, satellites, and cargo to the International Space Station.

Its recent expansion into military-grade satellite systems through the Starshield program has further entrenched its role as a key partner in U.S. aerospace strategy.

The reported meetings come at a sensitive time for the aerospace industry, as the next administration—regardless of who wins the presidency—will play a pivotal role in shaping space policy, defense funding, and public-private collaboration in orbit.

Bezos’s engagement with Trump underscores how America’s billionaires are increasingly maneuvering through political channels to secure influence in frontier industries like space exploration and AI. While Blue Origin still faces technical hurdles and stiff competition, its recent overtures to Republican leadership suggest a strategic recalibration aimed at leveling the playing field against SpaceX.