White House Paid $1.2M for Starlink Despite Claims of Free Donation
Records reveal the White House paid SpaceX $1.2 million for Starlink internet despite official claims that Elon Musk donated the service for free.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — Recent records have revealed that the White House paid nearly $1.2 million for Starlink internet services, contradicting previous official assertions that the technology was a free gift.
Financial data shows that Elon Musk’s SpaceX received approximately that amount through various Pentagon awards to cover the installation and maintenance of satellite internet hardware at the executive residence.
This discovery follows statements from March of last year, where White House officials claimed the service was “donated” to the government, according to reporting by the New York Times.
Trump administration officials have maintained that the service was a donation and underwent a review by an ethics lawyer within the Office of the White House Counsel.
However, former officials from the Biden administration pointed out that technology donations typically require specific approval processes.
According to these sources, such contributions must receive formal clearance from the chief information officers at the White House and the General Services Administration.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
