Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet constellation that is run through SpaceX, has caught legislators’ attention. Democratic Senators this week called for an investigation into whether the Trump administration is using trade negotiations to benefit Musk.
In a letter addressed to federal officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics Jamieson Greer, a group of Democratic Senators wrote, “Musk may be using his official role and his proximity to the President as leverage for his own personal and financial benefit — even if it comes at the expensive of American consumers and the nation’s foreign policy interests.”
The letter comes shortly after Musk accompanied Trump to Saudi Arabia on the president’s first overseas trip of his second term and announced Starlink’s approval in Saudi Arabia while the White House shared its newest defense and trade agreements. The senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), noted that Starlink has an “aggressive goal” of gaining a million new customers each year. However, Starlink has “struggled to secure agreements to operate in certain emerging markets” and its growth seemed slow last year. But then things shifted.
“Since President Trump took office, and Musk became a top Trump advisor, Starlink has seen a rush of new countries permitting the company to enter their markets,” the senators wrote. For example, Lesotho awarded Musk its first-ever satellite internet service license shortly after Trump hit the country with high tariffs. Senators also highlighted recent deals with other countries “seeking a reprieve from the threat of the Trump administration’s unpredictable tariffs,” including India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
The letter specifically mentions two articles from the Washington Post. First, an op-ed detailing that a Bangladeshi official met with Musk at the White House in February immediately after a trade meeting. There, Musk implied that the country “would not be able to get favorable trade terms” without granting Starlink access into Bangladesh. And then, a report in which the Post detailed how internal documents it obtained show that officials “have pushed nations to clear hurdles for U.S. satellite companies, often mentioning Starlink by name.” Although nothing shows the Trump administration “explicitly demand[ing] favors for Starlink in exchange for lower tariffs,” the Post reported that the State Department told officials to push for regulatory approvals.
“Suggesting that a foreign government adopt Starlink in exchange for relief on tariffs appears to be a textbook case of corruption,” the senators said, while requesting an investigation into whether officials “pursued a quid-pro-quo exchange of Starlink access for tariff favors in violation of federal ethic laws.”
In addition, the senators wrote that the State Department’s involvement raises additional concerns, including whether “these officials may be subverting the public’s interest in favor of Mr. Musk’s personal financial interests as they negotiate new tariff agreements — and whether they have been directed by [Musk] or [Trump] to do so.” The Senators requested that the State Department Inspector General investigate that matter.