Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has been installed at the White House campus, providing improved internet connectivity. The installation of the Starlink system was an effort to increase internet availability at the complex due to some areas having poor cell service and overtaxed Wi-Fi infrastructure.
The circumstances surrounding the installation raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, as Elon Musk serves as an unpaid adviser at the White House while controlling Starlink and other companies with regulatory matters before the federal government.
Chris Stanley, a security engineer at SpaceX and X, went to the roof of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to explore installing Starlink, triggering a security alert. However, the Secret Service and White House officials deemed it not to be a security incident.
The White House stated that Starlink had “donated” the service and that it had been vetted by the White House Counsel’s Office ethics lawyer. Former officials raised concerns about the donation process and the security implications of adding an external network to existing government infrastructure.
Starlink is typically used in emergency situations and remote locations but is now operating at various federal properties in Washington, including the General Services Administration. However, questions about encryption and network security remain.
Mr. Musk has been critical of outdated government technology and is working to modernize it. He previously tasked Mr. Stanley with updating the White House visitor access system and continues to collaborate with the Secret Service. No formal changes have been made to the visitor access system as of now.
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