Elon Musk Accuses Trump Admin of Using Starlink for Military Purposes

Source: Newsweek

Published May 26, 2026 at 02:09 PM EDT updated May 26, 2026 at 04:03 PM EDT


Elon Musk, owner of global satellite internet service Starlink, on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of breaching the agreement his company has with the Pentagon amid reports of disputes over charges.

Musk took to his X social media platform to accuse the Department of Defense (DOD) of violating the terms of service for using Starlink at a time when the U.S. military is relying more and more on external companies and products, specifically those belonging to the billionaire.

"They made improper use of the Starlink civilian system for military purposes," Musk said on X. "Direct violation of terms of service."

According to Reuters, which spoke to officials on condition of anonymity and reviewed internal DOD documents, the government and Musk's SpaceX, which owns Starlink, are at odds with each other over raised costs, which the company argued were necessary because the Pentagon had agreed to a civilian-level plan while using a higher tier of service for military operations in Iran. In response, a Pentagon official told Newsweek that the Department of Defense was committed to fostering a "competitive environment" for satellite communications, including looking for additional options that would deliver "a diverse range" of vendors.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-accuses-trump-admin-using-starlink-military-purposes-11994749