Driving the news: Victor Davis Hanson says Elon Musk is not in decline. He points to Tesla, SpaceX, X, Starlink and Grok as evidence that Musk remains a central force in U.S. technology and industry.
Hanson says Tesla rebounded in the second quarter of 2026, capturing 52% of all EVs sold in the United States. He also says Tesla has a market capitalization of $1.2 trillion, while the other 'Big Three' automakers are beginning to exit the EV market.
On SpaceX, Hanson says 67% of all satellites in low orbit around the world are associated with the company, with over 12,000 satellites. He says SpaceX’s market capitalization is well over $2 trillion and that more satellites were launched on Musk rockets last year than all launched elsewhere combined.
Hanson also says X has 560 million users, compared with 3 million for BlueSky. He says Starlink has captured 97% of all satellite internet usage, with 12 million subscribers in 160 countries. He adds that about 16% of all AI platforms and chatbots use Grok.
Why it matters: The argument is bigger than one billionaire. Hanson frames Musk as a driver of an American renaissance in digital media, satellites, electric vehicles, AI and software. That is the kind of industrial power that does not come from government plans or subsidies.
The bottom line: Whether critics like Musk or not, the numbers in Hanson’s account point to a simple reality: competition is rewarding the companies that deliver. In his telling, that is also helping keep the United States ahead in space, mobility and communications.