House Oversight and Reform Committee Democrats are demanding answers over what they say is a troubling entanglement of politics and profit – the Trump administration’s rollout of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications service across key Federal agencies and the White House.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., ranking member of the committee, and Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, ranking members of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, wrote to the General Services Administration (GSA) and the White House on April 7 to request documentation and information on the installation of Starlink satellite internet services at the White House, GSA, and other Federal agencies.
The representatives have requested a response from the White House by April 21.
The letter says that while a “small number” of agencies were already using Starlink before the second Trump administration, new reports show that the satellite service has since been installed in at least two executive branch entities since Musk became Trump’s advisor.
“Given Elon Musk’s dual role as the owner of Starlink and the apparent leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Trump Administration, the expanded use of Starlink across the federal government raises significant ethical, security, and regulatory implications that warrant immediate attention,” Reps. Connolly and Brown said.
According to reports, the Starlink technology was donated to the White House – which has raised red flags for Democrats.
“[Musk’s] dual position as the recipient of federal contracts and a White House advisor creates a troubling and obvious conflict of interest, raising the risk of undue influence and potential misuse of federal contracts for personal or corporate gain,” the letter reads. “This threatens the integrity of government procurement and technology policies while undermining public trust in fair and impartial decision-making.”
The lawmakers also raised the alarm about potential cybersecurity concerns with the installation of Starlink, writing that “even unclassified information shared over White House Wi-Fi is extremely important to national security.” They also said it’s rare for agencies to install an additional internet provider when there is already existing broadband infrastructure.
“While Starlink typically utilizes rooftop panels to receive connectivity from satellites, the White House Starlink panels have reportedly been installed at a data center miles from the White House and connectivity to the White House complex will be routed over existing fiber cables,” the lawmakers said.
Information and documentation requested by the members of Congress includes actions taken or contemplated when integrating Starlink services into White House and agency operations, clarity on steps taken or planned to ensure compliance with all IT security, procurement, and ethics requirements.
The letter follows recent pushes by some Republicans to deploy Musk’s Starlink to expand broadband access across the nation, with Democrats expressing concern that doing so would be out of favoritism to Musk rather than necessity or efficiency.