I don't think it's fair to compare the budget (in real terms) NASA had with the one SpaceX has when you make that comparison.

Moreover, I fee like our government today would have a hard time pulling off that feat. In the early 60s we still had somewhat nimble areas of government. I don't think it's true today. We allow too many interests to have too much pull and negative influence causing some kind of paralysis as well and franken-projects that are impossibly encompassing.

Aren’t fighter jets made by private companies? They pitch designs to procurement…?

They are but built by govt committees and these projects have to provide pork to all senators before there’s a green light. So it’s not, “build us a fighter to take down MiG-35 or whatever. It’s we want it to work for NATO, the marines, navy and Air Force, and provide air cover and drop bombs and air superiority and... so they get a Frankenstein plane that does nothing exceptionally well.

> The government landed men on the moon fifty years ago

And cannot accomplish that task again today. And did it by investing massive quantities of money and resources in a project, which no business could possibly hope to match, unless they print their own cash flow, as the government does.