A group of Democratic senators called for a federal investigation into whether the Trump administration is using trade negotiations with foreign governments to benefit SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s Starlink initiative.
In a letter Wednesday to Attorney General Pam Bondi, acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics Jamieson Greer, White House designated agency ethics official Scott Gast, and the State Department’s acting Inspector General Arne Baker, the senators pointed to recent reporting from The Washington Post suggesting U.S. embassies and the State Department “have pushed nations to clear hurdles for U.S. satellite companies, often mentioning Starlink by name.”
While the Post reported that there’s been no indication of explicit demands for favors for Starlink in exchange for lower tariffs, Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has increasingly instructed officials to push for regulatory approvals for Musk’s satellite firm at a moment when the White House is calling for wide-ranging talks on trade.”
“Suggesting that a foreign government adopt Starlink in exchange for relief on tariffs appears to be a textbook case of corruption,” read the letter, led by Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
The letter comes as President Trump is visiting the Middle East this week on his first international trip of his second term. He is accompanied by Musk, who also serves as the president’s senior adviser.
The senators noted that Trump and Musk were both in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the same day Musk announced Starlink has been approved in Saudi Arabia and the White House announced new defense and trade agreements with the country.
The senators also raised concerns about how Musk’s Starlink has secured swift approval in certain markets since Trump took office, whereas before the satellite company had been struggling to gain operating permits.
“Reports indicate that Mr. Musk may be using his official role and his proximity to the President as leverage for his own personal financial benefit — even if it comes at the expense of American consumers and the nation’s foreign policy interests,” the senators wrote in their letter. “These actions raise questions about whether Mr. Musk or other administration officials may be violating ethics or other laws.”
The Hill has reached out to the White House and Starlink for comment.
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