On March 11, 2025, Elon Musk and President Donald Trump display a Tesla Model S on the White House's South Lawn. Harnik Andrew/Getty Images
Elon Musk is already into the next stage of his scheme to integrate his businesses with the federal government. This includes, rather surprisingly, the future of your internet connection in addition to President Donald Trump's photo op in front of the White House with a Tesla.
More precisely, by supporting Starlink, the satellite-based internet provider run by SpaceX, the company he founded, serves as CEO of, and owns a significant stake in, Musk is taking actions that have the potential to transform how millions of Americans use the internet.
Unlike wired broadband internet, which usually uses fiber-optic cable, Starlink and other space-based internet initiatives beam internet service from satellites in orbit down to the Earth's surface. The main benefit of satellite internet is that, with very few exceptions, it can be used practically anywhere in the world. Due to its shortcomings, which include patchy reliability, high latency, and poor speeds, fiber internet is currently preferable for the great majority of people.
The Commerce Department announced last week that it will be revising the terms of a $42 billion high-speed internet program to favor Starlink. In the meantime, satellite rivals requested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to control Musk's business, claiming it is "anticompetitive," thus the FCC granted Starlink a waiver that will strengthen its new service, which allows phones to connect to satellites.
Additionally, it has been stated that Musk affiliates have directed federal departments to begin using Starlink, and the GSA is already doing so, ostensibly without supervision. Amid rumors that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may rescind a $2.4 billion deal with Verizon and award it to Starlink instead, SpaceX revealed that it is leasing Starlink kits to the agency. The business denied attempting to assume control of the contract.
Although billions of dollars are on the line, this is more than just a financial matter. (Musk is not in dire need of it.) The world's richest man may end up controlling the country's communications network, according to others who fear that these developments mark the beginning of a power shift in the telecom sector.
"We've never seen a case where the owner of a major communications company holds a position within the government. This is highly unusual."
According to Blair Levin, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and former chief of staff at the FCC, Musk has the potential to become "the dominating player in telecom policy" in addition to sabotaging the federal government in his unelected role as chairman of DOGE. Furthermore, Musk's commercial goals may not always coincide with those of Washington, and the US telecommunications network is essential to national security.
Levin stated, "We've never encountered a situation where the owner of a major communications company is part of the government. This is highly unusual and deeply concerning."
While some may find this idea exaggerated, it remains hypothetical—for now. I’ve been covering Starlink since before its first satellite launch in 2019, and there’s no denying the technology’s impact, from bringing internet access to remote areas to supporting Ukrainian troops on the battlefield.
However, recent events suggest that the Trump administration is positioning Starlink in ways that serve Musk’s interests more than those of people in need of better internet access. This move could significantly expand Musk’s influence in the telecom industry, giving him greater control over how people connect to the internet.
Elon's area The internet is still not superior to Earth's internet.
It's easy to see Starlink as the future of internet service. Its simple setup is a game-changer for those without broadband access—whether soldiers in Ukraine or farmers in rural America. However, Starlink is not equivalent to fiber-based broadband, which remains the gold standard for high-speed internet. Space-based internet has limitations: it’s generally slower, less reliable, and more expensive than terrestrial broadband.
This is why Congress prioritized fiber-optic infrastructure through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, part of the 2021 infrastructure bill. The program provides federal funding to connect up to 8 million Americans who have never had high-speed internet. But Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick now seeks to make BEAD “technology neutral,” a shift that would benefit Starlink. Under the previous rules, Musk’s company was set to receive around $4 billion; under the proposed changes, that figure could increase to as much as $10 billion to $20 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Starlink dishes are simple to install, but they lack the speed and reliability of fiber. Cate Dingley/Bloomberg via Getty Images
If the Commerce Department moves forward with these changes, BEAD’s rollout would be delayed—by at least a year, according to multiple experts I spoke with. That irony isn’t lost, considering Republicans made delays in BEAD a key talking point during the 2024 election. Building out fiber-optic networks requires digging trenches and laying cables across vast distances, an expensive and time-consuming process. But once built, fiber infrastructure can last for decades.
“This is a historic opportunity to bring fiber to many underserved areas,” said Drew Garner, director of policy engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. “We may never get another chance like this.”
Some argue that satellite-based providers like Starlink could get people online faster and without the high costs of fiber deployment. Starlink already has more than 7,000 satellites in orbit and aims to add more. However, it’s unclear how quickly the company could expand service—its network is already at capacity, with a waiting list for new users.
More importantly, Starlink is neither faster nor cheaper than terrestrial broadband. Its download speeds range from 50 to 100 Mbps, while the FCC defines broadband as 100 Mbps, and the national average is around 275 Mbps. Meanwhile, Starlink charges $80 per month for its “Residential Lite” plan, slightly above the $78 average U.S. internet bill.
This makes the Trump administration’s apparent favoritism toward Musk’s company all the more frustrating. The approach prioritizes a less effective solution that takes longer to implement and offers no real cost savings for most Americans.
Musk posts Starlink into the FAA
The future of BEAD remains uncertain. The Commerce Department could reverse course, and broadband infrastructure projects may still break ground in some states this spring. However, the Trump administration is already finding unconventional ways to integrate Starlink into government operations.
Like many federal agencies, the FAA is facing severe staffing cuts under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Just days after a tragic midair collision near Washington’s Reagan Airport claimed 67 lives, Musk’s team encouraged FAA employees to accept buyout offers—more than 1,300 did, according to The Atlantic. In addition, DOGE fired approximately 400 FAA staff members. The situation escalated when Musk’s team attempted to lay off air traffic controllers, prompting Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to step in and put a stop to it.
At the same time—acting on direct orders from Musk—a SpaceX engineer began deploying Starlink technology within FAA systems. Musk took to X to declare that “the Verizon communication system to air traffic control is breaking down very rapidly,” calling the situation “extremely dire” and announcing that he would send Starlink dishes to help. In response, the FAA has confirmed that it is reviewing its $2.4 billion contract with Verizon and testing Starlink equipment at several locations, including in Alaska, New Jersey, and Oklahoma.
Musk’s social media-fueled intervention at the FAA is alarming. With a few posts, he cast doubt on a critical Verizon contract—one that directly affects aviation safety. While it remains uncertain whether Starlink will ultimately take over this contract, this situation offers a glimpse of what happens when a single bureaucrat—who also happens to sell satellite dishes with reliability issues—starts making unilateral decisions.
“If you’re downloading something at home in a rural area and your speed drops because the system is oversubscribed, that’s annoying,” said Harold Feld, senior vice president of Public Knowledge. “If you’re the FAA, and your speed drops because the capacity is oversubscribed, that’s deadly.”
Project 2025’s Unexpected Role
Elon Musk and DOGE, largely staffed by employees from his own companies, seem to be operating within the federal government in ways that directly benefit those same businesses. As for the broader “why,” that will take time to fully unravel. Less than two months into Trump’s second term, simply keeping up with Musk’s growing influence has become a challenge.
When it comes to Starlink and Musk’s ambitions to dominate the U.S. telecom industry, the FCC’s cooperation is critical—and Brendan Carr, the agency’s new chair, appears to be fully on board. Carr first connected with Musk on X, where they bonded over frustrations about Democrats blocking Starlink broadband subsidies and accused Kamala Harris of delaying BEAD’s rollout. Notably, Carr authored the FCC chapter in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 report, where he argues against terrestrial broadband expansion and instead advocates for prioritizing satellite technology—like Starlink.
One of Project 2025’s core objectives is to “dismantle the administrative state,” and in Musk, the right has found a powerful ally. For Musk, this also presents an opportunity: when bureaucrats are ousted, decisions still need to be made—and without oversight, those decisions can be made much faster.
Globally, protesters have been setting Tesla dealerships on fire in response to Musk’s aggressive cuts to the federal workforce, hoping to sink the company’s stock. But beyond these high-profile demonstrations, something quieter—and arguably more consequential—is unfolding with Starlink, the Commerce Department, and the FCC. Musk isn’t just expanding his wealth; he’s consolidating power in Washington and shaping the future of critical infrastructure.
Selling cars is one thing. Controlling America’s telecommunications network is another. Musk isn’t there yet, but we’ve already seen how he can wield Starlink as a geopolitical tool. In 2022, he actively prevented Ukraine from launching a surprise attack on Russia by restricting Starlink access—an alarming precedent for how he might use his influence in the future.
“Elon Musk has been pretty cavalier about his ability to turn Starlink on or off to influence policy decisions,” said Drew Garner of the Benton Institute, referencing Musk’s recent posts on X about cutting Starlink service in Ukraine.
Musk’s growing dominance in the telecom industry is concerning, but what’s even more alarming is that he alone could decide to shut down entire networks. That possibility may be far more consequential than any Tesla ad he films in front of the White House.
