Musk, missiles, and the Rio Grande Valley: Defense dollars draw renewed attention to the region

BROWNSVILLE — Elon Musk and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will visit Brownsville on Monday to address SpaceX’s growing workforce after the company secured a major federal defense contract tied to missile warning and tracking systems.

The visit — which is not open to the media — places South Texas at the center of the Trump administration’s expanding defense and space agenda. It also comes just days after another high-profile federal appearance in the Rio Grande Valley.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with farmers in Brownsville last week to discuss border security. The back-to-back visits reflect increased federal attention on South Texas across multiple policy areas.

Hegseth is scheduled to visit SpaceX’s Starbase facility alongside Musk, according to a Department of War advisory. His agenda includes addressing the workforce and participating in a military enlistment ceremony tied to the next generation of service members.