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starlink
As SpaceX Goes Public, Iran Media Reports Musk Companies Are Legitimate Military Target
Iranian threats against SpaceX facilities came as the company had a record-breaking IPO.
Jun 11, 2026
While Elon Musk's SpaceX rockets have typically had no trouble exploding on their own accord, they could soon get some assistance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Tehran's state-run Fars News Agency reported on Thursday that Iranian officials have added assets owned by Musk throughout the Middle East to their target lists, noting the US and Israeli military's use of SpaceX's Starlink satellite services in operations against Iranian infrastructure.
As reported by Forbes, SpaceX has Starlink ground stations in Qatar, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and Oman that could be potential targets of future Iranian attacks. However, the Starlink facilities may not be the only targets, as Iran reportedly said it "reserves the right to strike all Musk-affiliated facilities in the region," according to Forbes.
Iran's threats to attack SpaceX facilities came as the private space exploration firm made an initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday that the Wall Street Journal reported broke the record for the largest in history.
According to the Journal, SpaceX sold $75 billion worth of shares during the IPO at $135 apiece, giving the company a valuation of $1.77 trillion.
The SpaceX IPO has come under criticism in recent weeks over revelations that the Nasdaq stock market exchange changed its own rules so that company can be immediately included in index funds without having to wait through the one-year “seasoning” period that used to be required for newly public firms.
Other critics have raised red flags about SpaceX's profitability, noting that it made only $19 billion in profits last fiscal year, giving it a valuation 54 times larger than its projected revenue multiple, a measure of its value based on expected future earnings.
SpaceX shares are set to begin trading publicly on Friday.
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Defending Democracy Starts With Your Phone Plan: Why I Cut Ties With T-Mobile
The most effective way to resist the authoritarian takeover of our democracy is to make it clear to companies partnering with authoritarians that there will always be consequences for such business relationships.
Nov 10, 2025
With everything that the Trump administration is doing to militarize our cities and neighborhoods, it can be easy to forget about all of the damage that Elon Musk has done, and continues to do. He and his Department of Government Efficiency minions destroyed the US Agency for International Development, resulting in incredible misery and thousands of deaths in countries around the world. They fired thousands of dedicated civil servants and embedded themselves in all major government agencies, and combined our personal data in illegal ways that make us all more vulnerable.
While Musk isn’t in the headlines as much now, he continues to use his vast wealth to subvert democracy both here and around the world, and will continue to do so unless we fight back. One of the pillars of his empire is Starlink, which leverages Musk’s relationship with President Donald Trump to help it acquire additional spectrum licenses and crush its competition.
The most effective way to resist the authoritarian takeover of our democracy is to make it clear to companies partnering with authoritarians that there will always be consequences for such business relationships. Earlier this year, T-Mobile became the first major cellular carrier to integrate the Starlink network, positioning T-Mobile customers uniquely to help counter Musk's influence.
I was a T-Mobile customer, starting in 2013. My whole family was on T-Mobile, and I had a business account as well. I develop a mobile application for iPhone and Android, so I needed multiple phone lines for software testing.
If you’re a T-Mobile customer, I strongly encourage you to cancel your T-Mobile contract on the weekend of November 14-16 as thousands join me in boycotting T-Mobile.
After becoming active in the Tesla Takedown campaign, I learned about the dangers posed by T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink. I attended protests at local Starlink offices and wrote directly to T-Mobile's CEO to express my concerns about this collaboration.
T-Mobile's problematic actions extend far beyond this partnership. The company dismantled its diversity, equity, and inclusion program to appease the Trump administration while seeking approval for two major acquisitions. They now host Trump Mobile on their network and lobbied in support of Trump's budget bill—legislation expected to strip millions of Americans of healthcare while delivering tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. Adding to this troubling record, T-Mobile has spent years employing aggressive union-busting tactics to prevent workers from organizing.
After a month with no reply, I began exploring alternative carriers. It’s important to research that carefully, since other carriers may be owned by T-Mobile directly (like Mint Mobile), or may use the T-Mobile network (like Ultra Mobile and Tello Mobile). To have the greatest impact, it’s best to move to a carrier with no connection to T-Mobile. You can find alternatives here.
After selecting a new carrier, I began moving lines, one by one. I was concerned about how difficult it would be, but it’s surprisingly easy. After moving the last line, the last step was to call T-Mobile and formally terminate my accounts.
Mobile carriers HATE when customers move. It costs money to acquire new subscribers, so they will try very hard to keep you. I explained to the service rep why I was cancelling my contract, and that I had sent a message to the CEO about my concerns. “He’s probably very busy,” the rep said. “Would you wait two more weeks before you cancel?” I explained that I had already waited for a month with no reply. She then offered me a $20 credit for staying. Without being rude, I explained that this wasn’t about money, it was about defending democracy.
If you’re a T-Mobile customer, I strongly encourage you to cancel your T-Mobile contract on the weekend of November 14-16 as thousands join me in boycotting T-Mobile. Even better, you can sign the #BoycottTMobile pledge and actively join us. It’s probably easier than you imagine, and it’s an important step we can take to stop the pipeline that funds Musk and Trump. You’ll be glad you did.
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Trump’s Chaotic Tariffs Benefit His Best Buddy Elon (As We Predicted)
Musk’s proximity to the White House and Trump’s innermost circle has provided him with powerful new leverage to push his businesses on foreign governments.
May 23, 2025
A series of internal government messages reveal how U.S. embassies and the State Department have pushed governments to clear regulatory barriers for Elon Musk’s Starlink. In the messages obtained by The Washington Post, Secretary of State Marco Rubio directs U.S. officials to push for permit approvals for the satellite internet service. Governments facing chaotic tariff threats have gotten the message and are rolling out the red carpet for Musk in the hope of avoiding costly tariffs.
This scandal has drawn widespread attention and condemnation, with dozens of members of Congress and senators calling for investigations into Musk and the government agencies that may have pressured countries on his behalf.
While this corruption is shocking, it’s hardly surprising. Before the “Liberation Day” tariff announcement, Public Citizen issued a report documenting how the tariff process in President Donald Trump’s first term enabled a quid-pro-quo spoils system that rewarded the rich and well-connected. We warned that Musk’s powerful and ill-defined role in the U.S. government could lead other countries to decide that giving special privileges to Musk’s companies would help them earn brownie points with the Trump administration.
U.S. Government’s Sales Pitch for Starlink
Elon Musk has been pushing for Starlink expansion across the world for years, but some countries have been wary of permitting the service to enter their markets for a number of reasons. For example, experts have raised concerns about threats to “data sovereignty,” a group or individual’s right to control and maintain their own data. To the extent that communications on the Starlink network are routed through the U.S., they may be accessible to U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
And it is not unreasonable for countries to consider that access to Starlink services could be weaponized and a nation’s internet access held hostage at the whim of a single man or wayward administration. Alarmingly, claims abound that the U.S threatened to withdraw Ukrainian access to Starlink if the country did not sign the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement (though this has been denied by Musk).
But now, Musk’s proximity to the White House and Trump’s innermost circle has provided him with powerful new leverage to push his businesses on foreign governments: the threat of Trump’s chaotic tariffs. For some countries weighing the pros and cons, the chance that approval for Starlink helps stave off tariffs has changed the equation.
Trump and his cronies have made it clear since Day 1 of his 2015 presidential primary campaign that he will bend public policy to benefit himself and his wayward inner circle of Yes Men.
The Washington Post exposé highlighted several diplomatic cables from various embassies commenting on foreign governments’ decision-making on the satellite internet service.
For example, a March cable from the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia explains it “has observed the Cambodian government—likely due to concern over the possibility of U.S. tariffs—signal its desire to help balance our trade relationship by promoting the market entry of leading U.S. companies such as Boeing and Starlink.” Leaders of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia advised the Ministry of Economy and Finance to take “decisive action in offering concessions to the United States… recommending that Cambodia… expeditiously approve Starlink’s market entry request.”
Cambodia is facing a 49% Trump tariff rate.
Another cable from April highlighted that Starlink was pushing for a license to operate in Djibouti. State Department staffers noted Starlink’s approval would be an opportunity to open the country’s market and boost “an American company.” Embassy officials “will continue to follow up with Starlink in identifying government officials and facilitating discussions.”
Djibouti is facing a 10% Trump tariff rate.
The Pressure Is Working—At the Expense of Public Interest Policies
Sec. Rubio “encouraged Vietnam to address trade imbalances,” in an early March 2025 phone call with the nation’s Foreign Ministry. Shortly thereafter, the Vietnamese government laid out a battery of appeasements to the Trump administration, including a waiver of their domestic partnership requirements, enabling the launch of a five-year pilot program with Starlink. An unnamed source speaking with Reuters said this can be seen as “an olive branch” to Musk and his company, a “demonstration from the Vietnamese side that they can play the transactional diplomacy game if the Trump administration wants that.”
Vietnam is facing a 46% Trump tariff rate.
A Bangladeshi representative visited the White House in mid-February to offer concessions to stave off the promised tariffs and was brought to a surprise meeting with Elon Musk. Musk wanted to discuss the ongoing negotiations between Starlink and Bangladesh’s regulatory agency—the implication being that Bangladesh would not get favorable trade terms from the U.S. if Starlink wasn’t permitted. Early April saw Bangladesh’s Telecommunication Regulatory Commission issue what was described as “the swiftest recommendation” in its history for a Starlink license. When Trump announced a punishing 37% reciprocal tariff on Bangladesh, the export-dependent country wrote a letter to Trump requesting leniency and detailing the ways in which it was already taking action to benefit U.S. businesses—including its access for Starlink.
Bangladesh is facing a 37% Trump tariff rate.
Lesotho also granted a license to Starlink in April, despite local objections to foreign-owned businesses. Local NGOs called the licensing decision “a betrayal—a shameful sellout by a government that appears increasingly willing to place foreign corporate interests above the democratic will and long-term developmental needs of the people of Lesotho.” An internal State Department memo states, “As the government of Lesotho negotiates a trade deal with the United States, it hopes that licensing Starlink demonstrates goodwill and intent to welcome U.S. businesses.” Subtle.
Lesotho is facing a 50% Trump tariff rate.
Musk has infamously complained on social media over South Africa’s post-Apartheid reparations rules, claiming that Starlink is “not allowed to operate in South Africa simply because [he’s] not Black [sic]”—despite having never even applied for a license. The Washington Post noted that “the story about Bangladesh was making its way around political and business circles in South Africa,” and it’s assumed that approval of a Starlink license has become “a prerequisite for getting a favorable trade deal.” Legislators have introduced a controversial measure to exempt Starlink from the Black empowerment law.
South Africa is facing a 30% Trump tariff rate.
Musk has been looking to break into the Indian market for years—even launching, then retracting, services in 2022 without the necessary licenses. Around the time of the Bangladesh meeting, Musk also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi near the White House. According to India Today, a “key agenda” item was Starlink’s pending approval in India. In May of 2025, India dropped two proposed security rules that Starlink had refused during earlier discussions.
India is facing a 26% Trump tariff rate.
In March of 2024, Starlink was prohibited in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, citing concerns from military experts who warned it could be misused by armed insurgent groups including M23. That ban was recently lifted, and Starlink launched in May 2025. This policy reversal comes at a time of mounting frustrations from Congolese civil society over secretive dealmaking with the United States. The resurgence of rebel group M23 has pushed President Felix Tshisekedi’s government toward a controversial deal that has the private military corporation Blackwater’s Erik Prince at the center. The deal would exchange U.S. security assistance for access to DRC critical minerals, not unlike the recent U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.
The DRC is facing an 11% Trump tariff rate
The list goes on. Mali, Somalia, Namibia, and others are also considering regulatory approval of Starlink and facing varying degrees of resistance from civil society.
Namibia is facing a 21% Trump tariff rate, with Mali and Somalia at 10%.
The Blueprint
Paving the way for Starlink in other countries is just the tip of the iceberg. Trump and his cronies have made it clear since Day 1 of his 2015 presidential primary campaign that he will bend public policy to benefit himself and his wayward inner circle of Yes Men. Anything that can limit their personal gain is on the chopping block.
The attacks on other governments’ legitimate domestic policies aren’t just predictable, they’re predicted. In detail. Not just by Trump’s erratic speeches and TruthSocial policy changes, but across nearly 400 pages, readily available to us all at ustr.gov: the 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report.
This year’s report targets a litany of public interest laws and policies adopted by countries around the world to regulate the digital ecosystem. Notably, the 2025 NTE report calls out the satellite licensing and approval processes in Brazil, South Korea, and Malaysia, and points out that a number of countries impose import restrictions on certain types of internet and telecommunications equipment. Removing these would smooth regulatory hurdles for Starlink in those countries. The NTE report is also chock-full of other privacy, AI accountability, and competition policies that Big Tech companies want to get rid of around the world.
The report was drafted in large part based on comments submitted by corporations in October 2024 under then-President Joe Biden and before the presidential election. Given the Trump administration’s brazen willingness to openly push the agenda of his billionaire buddies, we can now expect even more extreme demands from companies like Starlink. For instance, in a submission to the Trump administration ahead of the “reciprocal tariffs” announcement, SpaceX complained about governments imposing “non-tariff” barriers impeding global roll-out of Starlink, including having to pay governments for access to spectrum—a standard practice in a number of countries, including the U.S.
As Trump wields his chaotic tariff threats to extract concessions in dozens of closed-door negotiations, we should not be surprised to see even more Big Tech giveaways and lucrative favors for Musk. It is imperative that Congress demand transparency in these trade talks and hold the Trump administration accountable for such inappropriate coercion.
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