Balance of Power

Musk’s Other-Worldly Goals Hit Earthly Reality

UK, French regulators probe X over allegations of abusive content, mishandling data.

SpaceX’s Starship rocket 38 launches on Oct. 13 as seen from South Padre Island in Texas. Photographer: Gabriel V. Cardenas/AFP/Getty Images

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By James Hertling

February 4, 2026 at 11:01 AM UTC

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A raid by French authorities on the Paris offices of Elon Musk’s X was a stark reminder that the tycoon’s envisioned space-based corporate empire remains tethered to this world.