Trump administration paid SpaceX nearly $1.2 million for Starlink services

The Trump administration awarded SpaceX nearly $1.2 million in government contracts for Starlink services, despite previous claims by White House officials that the services were a gift.

According to reports from The Washington Post and The New York Times, the Pentagon issued four contracts between March 2025 and June 2026 to the White House Communications Agency, a military unit responsible for secure communications for the president and executive officials. Three contracts totaling $502,000 were identified by the Democracy Defenders Fund, while a fourth contract worth approximately $686,000 was uncovered by The Washington Post.

In March 2025, White House officials stated that Starlink had donated the service and noted that the arrangement had been vetted by ethics lawyers. The discrepancy between the characterization of the service as a gift and the subsequent payments has raised concerns regarding potential pay-to-play access and conflicts of interest.

Security experts previously raised concerns about installing private communication systems within the White House. During the installation process, personnel associated with Elon Musk’s DOGE program reportedly arrived at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to set up equipment without prior notification to White House communications staff.