In a surprising move, billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has announced plans to move the headquarters of his aerospace company SpaceX and his social media venture X from California to Texas. Musk cited his opposition to a gender-identity law as the primary reason behind the relocation.

Musk took to X, his social media platform, on Tuesday to announce the intended moves. SpaceX will be shifted from its current location in Hawthorne, California to the company's rocket launch site known as Starbase in Texas. Meanwhile, X will have a change of base from San Francisco to Austin.

The final straw for Musk was California Governor Gavin Newsom signing a new law earlier this week, preventing school districts from mandating notifications to parents about their child's gender identification change. Musk expressed his concerns to Governor Newsom about such legislation a year ago, stating that it would eventually drive families and companies away from California.

This is not the first relocation for Musk's businesses. Tesla, where Musk serves as CEO, made the move from its corporate headquarters in Palo Alto, California to Austin earlier this year. Musk himself has also made Texas his new residence, attracted by the absence of state personal income tax.

It is important to note that SpaceX is already actively engaged in rocket-building and launching operations in Texas at Boca Chica Beach, near the Mexican border. The site, named Starbase, is where the company's massive Starship rockets are constructed and launched. On the other hand, the smaller Falcon 9 rockets are launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and southern California.

Elon Musk has gained a reputation for his outspokenness on political matters. Notably, he endorsed former US President Donald Trump for the 2024 election and reportedly plans to contribute a significant sum of $45 million per month to a pro-Trump committee super PAC. Trump, if elected, is expected to roll back transgender rights.

Despite these political affiliations, it is worth mentioning that Musk has a transgender daughter and has claimed to support transgender individuals. However, in an interview with the Financial Times, he attributed his daughter's decision to what he described as "neo-Marxists." Additionally, he previously expressed his intention to lobby against transgender medical treatment that may result in irreversible changes to children below the age of consent.

The relocation of SpaceX and X to Texas marks an unexpected development in Elon Musk's ventures, as he seeks a more favorable environment for his businesses while raising concerns about California's gender-identity law. Only time will tell how this move will impact the future operations and growth of both companies.