Elon Musk's Starlink has a growing footprint in the federal government

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.