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SpaceX's IPO is celebrated at the Nasdaq on June 12, 2026. Adam Jeffery | CNBC
The congressional traders
Besides Timmons, Cisneros is the only other member CNBC identified who bought the stock in his own name. He purchased between $1,001 and $15,000 in shares on June 18, according to a disclosure he filed with the U.S. House on July 2 that also showed dozens of other share acquisitions. Cisneros sits on the House Armed Services Committee, which oversees Pentagon and Space Force contracts. In a statement to CNBC earlier this month, Cisneros said he does not manage the "day-to-day trading" of his investment portfolio. His office did not respond to a subsequent request for comment on potential conflicts of interest. Other purchases identified by CNBC involved spouses or dependent children, including the wives of Reps. McGuire and James. Congress members are required to report stock holdings and purchases by their spouses and dependent children as well as themselves. James sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which plays a major regulatory role over the energy grid and the development of AI data centers. SpaceXAI, a SpaceX subsidiary, has been a major player in building data centers nationwide. According to a financial disclosure filed this month, James' wife purchased between $15,001 and $50,000 in SpaceX stock on June 12. "The James children are excited about space exploration and Liz purchased stock for them through a brokerage firm, like other members of the public were welcome to do," a spokesperson for James said in an emailed statement. McGuire, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee and subpanels of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee dealing with military and foreign affairs and financial services, disclosed that his wife invested between $1,001 and $15,000 in the company on June 15. Meuser, meanwhile, sits on the House Financial Services Committee, with jurisdiction over securities and exchanges. A dependent child of Meuser's bought between $15,001 and $50,000 of SpaceX stock on June 15. Spokespeople for Timmons, McGuire and Meuser did not respond to a request for comment. Payne said the fact that a spouse or dependent child made the purchase in some instances does not alleviate potential concerns about conflicts of interest. "The core principle of financial disclosure forms since the very beginning, decades ago, is that the financial interest of the spouse and a dependent child are exactly the same as the financial interest of the member," Payne said. "That’s because of the close proximity and the control in common ownership [of the asset] that the member can have with a spouse and dependent child." Moskowitz, who purchased the stock on June 12, is a member of the House judiciary and foreign affairs committees, neither of which has direct authority over SpaceX. But members of Congress, regardless of their committee assignments, regularly vote on legislation, such as defense budgets, that could benefit the company and its subsidiaries. While Moskowitz is not on a committee of jurisdiction, Payne said the trade could still draw concern from voters worried about conflicts of interest. "The public isn't going to parse committee portfolios or the specifics of SpaceX's business," he said. "Voters likely see a company that is a government contractor and they know Congress can influence contracts and act on confidential market-moving information. The standard has never been whether a conflict can be proven, but whether a reasonable perception of a conflict exists." A spokesperson for Moskowitz did not respond to a request for comment. The six IPO buyers join another prominent lawmaker whose family already had exposure to SpaceX. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., the No. 4 House Republican, disclosed in January that her husband had purchased between $100,001 and $250,000 in privately held xAI stock on Dec. 15. The investment became tied to SpaceX in February, when Musk folded xAI into the rocket company. There is no evidence McClain or her husband traded on nonpublic information. A spokesperson for the House Republican Conference said in June that McClain's investments were a matter of public record and had been made in line with House rules and applicable laws.
The first four NASA commercial crew astronauts address employees at the SpaceX factory under the first Dragon Capsule that went into space and returned to Earth, Aug. 13, 2018. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images
SpaceX's growing political reach
According to SpaceX's IPO prospectus, federal agencies generated about one-fifth of the company's 2025 revenue. The company also described itself as the government's primary launch provider, launching satellites, cargo and crews. The prospectus disclosed contracts with NASA, the Pentagon, and intelligence agencies, warning investors that shifts in federal funding could materially affect its business. SpaceX did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Lawmakers bought in during a volatile first month. After pricing at $135 and opening at $150, the stock hit a June closing high of $201.80 before falling to $113.46 at Monday's close — about 16% below the IPO price and nearly 44% below the peak. Because congressional disclosures report value ranges rather than exact share counts or purchase prices, it is impossible to calculate lawmakers' precise gains or losses. "We won't know the full extent to which members of Congress did or did not profit until years from now," said Dan Weiskopf of Tidal Financial, who manages ETFs based on lawmakers' trades. "Members may hold the stock and ride it out, but it becomes a gray area when they can influence its value." SpaceX's clout on Capitol Hill extends to its employee-funded PAC, which poured $1.9 million into federal races from January 2025 through June 2026, according to a CNBC analysis of Federal Election Commission records. In June alone, the PAC gave $127,500, with 94% going to Republican candidates or GOP-aligned committees, according to the PAC's monthly disclosures. This marks a sharp shift toward the GOP compared with the 2024 election cycle, when contributions were more evenly split. The PAC is funded by SpaceX employees and executives, not the company's treasury, and is separate from Musk's personal political operation.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, applauds as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024. Craig Hudson | Reuters
Congress considers limits