Elon Musk is riding high on the victory of Donald Trump, securing the billionaire and his wealthy peers another four years of financial relief while regular American citizens buckle under the weight of a growing recession.
Musk has been nothing short of giddy in the days since the election was called for Trump, but prancing around the stage like an untamed foal isn’t going to distract the public for long. While we joke about his juvenile antics and soulless politics, Musk and his enterprises are doing very real damage. That may even include SpaceX subsidiary Starlink, a satellite internet telecommunications provider that’s played a vital role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Following the Russian invasion, Ukraine requested access to Starlink so it could keep lines of communication open across the country. The years since that access was granted have seen broad concerns arise over several troubling factors, not the least of which being the involvement of Elon Musk — a private citizen — in an international war.
Those concerns have only escalated in the years since Russia invaded, and they’re compounded by Trump’s victory. A Trump presidency will be easier on Russia, harder on Ukraine, and likely far less staunch of an ally, which could threaten the country’s access to vital communications services.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is, at base, a series of satellites operated by Starlink Services, LLC that aim to provide mobile broadband across the globe. As of 2024, it is composed of more than 7,000 small satellites, which are swirling in low Earth orbit, sending signals to ground transceivers and providing internet access to more than 4 million subscribers.
Providing better access to those who need it is in no way problematic, but there are additional factors that give people pause when it comes to Starlink. Most notably, the company is owned by Musk, a distinctly selfish individual whose motivations increasingly align with those of Donald Trump. Starlink’s use has been criticized at several turns, most recently as rumors of election interference spread, and for years over its use in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Why is Starlink’s involvement in the Russia/Ukraine war controversial?
Starlink’s use in the Russian/Ukrainian war has been controversial from the start, and it’s largely because of Elon Musk. The communications provider isn’t problematic at base, but Musk’s ability and willingness to wield it for his own purposes has come under scrutiny several times over.
To be fair, Musk’s interference when it comes to Starlink and Ukraine has been exaggerated several times, which is a huge factor in the continued criticism of the company. Musk did not “turn off” access to Starlink in Crimea back in 2022, as was broadly alleged, but that’s not to say all of the company’s dealings are entirely on the up and up.
Musk has criticized Ukraine’s efforts to use Starlink as a tool in war, instead insisting that it’s for entertainment, educational, and communication purposes only, but that ignores the necessity of Starlink to the war-torn country. Ukraine has no other choice when it comes to military communication and movements. Starlink’s adoption by the Ukrainian military has been massive since it is the only option that presumably won’t put its soldiers at risk. The few times it has failed them, there have been huge consequences for the Ukrainian military.
There are also rumors that Starlink was tapped to assist in ballot counting for the 2024 election, which once again sparked suspicion among the broad public. The primary issue seems to boil down to how much power we allow a single citizen to wield. Musk is incredibly powerful, from his position as the world’s wealthiest man to the head of Starlink, SpaceX, X, of Tesla and as the world’s wealthiest man. This allows him a completely uneven level of influence, something he shouldn’t be granted just because he has more money than god. The man is, apart from all that money, the same as any other American citizen, and his rights and influences should likewise match that of any other American. But Musk is increasingly buying his way into wielding broad influence over matters both domestic and international, and it’s blurring the line between a private citizen and an elected official.
As a result, Starlink’s many critics now feel like America was bought and sold, all for the cost of a few thousand satellites. If Ukraine — or, more troublingly, Russia — is next on the shopping list, the implications for the future of not just our nation, but our world, are dire.