Senate Democrats are demanding a federal investigation into whether President Donald Trump‘s administration is aiding Elon Musk's company, SpaceX, to secure access to foreign markets. Their call comes as Musk announced at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum that Saudi Arabia has approved Starlink services for aviation and maritime use.
What Happened: In a letter issued Wednesday to Attorney General Pam Bondi, acting Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics Jamieson Greer, acting Inspector General of the State Department Arne Baker and White House ethics official Scott Gast, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) advocated for a probe into whether the administration is “intervening” to help Starlink as it “negotiates tariff agreements and other matters with foreign governments.”
The letter added: "…Mr. Musk may be using his official role and his proximity to the President as leverage for his own personal financial benefit — even if it comes at the expense of American consumers and the nation’s foreign policy interests."
Why It Matters: Musk announced Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has greenlit Starlink operations in the country's maritime and aviation sectors.
"I’d also like to thank the Kingdom for approving Starlink for maritime and aviation use," he said.
In their letter, the senators cited this announcement, as well as Starlink's swift expansion into countries like Bangladesh and India, where permissions were granted soon after interactions with Musk or during larger U.S. trade negotiations. They also referred to recent reports claiming that the U.S. has allegedly been coercing some countries hit by Trump's tariffs to authorize Starlink's services.
"Suggesting that a foreign government adopt Starlink in exchange for relief on tariffs appears to be a textbook case of corruption," they wrote, urging the Justice Department and the White House ethics office to launch an investigation.
This letter is the most recent addition to the series of calls raised by Democrats to probe into whether Elon Musk and his companies are receiving undue advantages on account of Musk's involvement with the Trump administration. Last month, Senate Democratic committee staffers published a report alleging that Musk may avoid more than $2 billion in financial liabilities thanks to his influence within the U.S. government.
The White House and SpaceX did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
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