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Elon Musk, Cards Against Humanity settle lawsuit over South Texas land

A view of SpaceX's rocket launchpad at Starbase in South Texas on May 27, 2025.
Michael Gonzalez
/
The Texas Newsroom
A view of SpaceX's rocket launchpad at Starbase in South Texas on May 27, 2025.

Cards Against Humanity, the satirical party game, has settled its trespassing lawsuit against Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX.

Court records show the lawsuit was dropped last month. In an email to fans sent Monday, the game company did not disclose the terms of settlement but said SpaceX "admitted on the record" to dumping trash on land it bought near Musk's rocket launch site in South Texas.

"Soon, the land will be returned to its natural state: no space garbage, and still completely free of pointless [expletive] border walls," the email read.

Cards Against Humanity's spokesperson Maria Ranahan told The Texas Newsroom a trial would have cost more than what the company was likely to win from SpaceX.

"Under Texas law, even if we had won at trial (and we would have, given their admission to trespassing), we likely wouldn't be able to recoup our legal fees," she said in response to questions. "The upside is that we're able to work with a local landscaping company to restore the land to its natural state."

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cards Against Humanity bought the land along the Rio Grande with fan donations to block construction of the border wall. The land is just minutes from Starbase, SpaceX's massive rocket testing and launch site near Brownsville.

In its lawsuit, filed in September of last year, Cards Against Humanity alleged SpaceX's employees entered the site without approval and dumped trash there. It sought $15 million in damages. SpaceX argued the game company did not have standing to sue.

In its message to fans on Monday, Cards Against Humanity said it had not won any money from SpaceX, which it had promised to give back to fans if it had prevailed in court. It did announce the release of a special Musk-themed mini pack of its card game to mark the settlement.

"While we can't give you what you really wanted –– cash money from Elon Musk –– we're going to make it up to you, our best, sexiest customers…with comedy!" the email added.
Copyright 2025 KUT News

Lauren McGaughy