Starlink, the satellite internet service controlled by billionaire Elon Musk and his rocket company SpaceX, is expanding its footprint in the federal government weeks after the billionaire began slashing the federal workforce and agency budgets under President Donald Trump’s direction.
Multiple federal agencies are exploring the idea of adopting SpaceX’s Starlink for internet access — and at least one agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), has done so at the request of Musk’s staff, according to someone who worked at the GSA last month and is familiar with its network operations — despite a vow by Musk and Trump to slash the overall federal budget.
Starlink’s expansion is sparking outcry among congressional Democrats because of Musk’s dual positions: He is the founder and CEO of SpaceX, which owns Starlink, and a senior adviser to Trump with an expansive portfolio across the government. As a shareholder in SpaceX, he could gain financially if Starlink is granted additional business.
Starlink, which routes internet traffic through low-orbit satellites, has gained popularity in rural areas and disaster zones because it doesn’t require fiber cables or cellular towers. Users say the Starlink terminals have real advantages in terms of how easy they are to set up and how mobile they are. One downside, though, is that Starlink satellites have an expected lifespan of five years, so the company must replenish them.
The growth of Starlink has also given Musk unusual influence in the U.S. and abroad, as he can unilaterally decide to deploy or withhold internet service during moments of disaster, war or other crises.
At least seven federal offices including the Defense and Commerce departments were already established customers of Starlink when Trump took office in January, according to a federal government database of awarded contracts. The database lists $4.1 million in federal contracts in 2022 and $1.9 million in 2023. The existing spending includes a test at sea by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Now, the number of customers appears set to grow.
According to a person who worked at GSA last month and is familiar with its network operations, the agency had installed Starlink by mid-February. The service was being used by staff members of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, this person said. NBC News also saw internal correspondence confirming it had been installed at the GSA’s offices in Washington at 1800 F Street NW. Starlink was installed within days of the DOGE team’s request, the person said, while a more typical process should take weeks or months for reviews concerning security, procurement, business needs and more. A separate person working at GSA showed NBC News documentation indicating that a Starlink network was available for use at the facility.
The GSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
One of the agencies deliberating a contract with Starlink burst into public debate last week: the Federal Aviation Administration, which for years has been looking to upgrade the infrastructure underlying its communications systems. The FAA awarded a $2.4 billion contract to Verizon in 2023, and although the contract is due to run for 15 years, Musk posted on X that he wants to pivot to a rival Starlink system. He said on X that Starlink was sending terminals at “no cost to the taxpayer.”
It’s not clear exactly when the FAA began considering the use of Starlink. Musk approved a shipment of 4,000 Starlink terminals to the FAA last month, Bloomberg News reported.
A second agency is Customs and Border Protection, which has issued internal paperwork to authorize an evaluation of Starlink to help monitor the U.S. border, a spokesperson told FedScoop, a news site that covers the federal government. CBP’s interest in Starlink goes back at least to 2023, before Trump returned to office, according to a Department of Homeland Security document reported by FedScoop. CBP and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
And officials at a third federal agency are comparing Starlink to Verizon as a tool for communicating during a catastrophe, according to one person involved in the discussions who asked that their agency not be named in order to avoid reprisal. That process was initiated in February and appears to be under consideration as part of a normal process, the person said.
It’s unclear whether the agencies are coordinating their contract talks, and what dollar value any of the potential contracts may have. None of the three agencies appears to have made a final decision.
The White House, in response to written questions from NBC News, pledged to comply with ethics rules.
“President Trump and his entire…
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