Starlink Secures Strategic Edge from U.S. Tariff Tactics

According to leaked documents from the U.S. State Department, SpaceX’s satellite internet service Starlink has directly benefited from the Trump administration’s tariff-based trade policies. The revelation was made in a report by The Washington Post, cited by TechCrunch.

The documents show that the U.S. has been pressuring various countries to adopt Starlink. Several nations reportedly believe that signing agreements with Starlink could give them leverage in trade and tariff negotiations with the United States.

The Post specifically highlights the case of the small African nation of Lesotho. One of the leaked documents clearly states that Lesotho—facing a 50 percent tariff imposed by the U.S.—has signed a 10-year agreement with Starlink.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk is known to be closely affiliated with key advisers in the Trump administration. A White House spokesperson told The Washington Post that “there is no conflict of interest” in the matter.

Meanwhile, the State Department has characterized the effort to support a U.S.-based satellite company in the face of Chinese competition as “a demonstration of patriotism.”

SpaceX has not provided any comment on the issue.