Gift or Government Deal? Trump Administration Paid SpaceX Nearly $1.2 Million for Starlink Services

The Trump administration quietly awarded SpaceX nearly $1.2 million in contracts for Starlink services to the White House Communications Agency between March 2025 and June, despite earlier claims the services were donated. Legal advocates raised concerns about pay-to-play and ethics, noting related security scrutiny and broader government contract gains for Musk’s companies.