· Government action
White House confirms Starlink used for Wi-Fi on the complex; later report details security concerns
What he said or did
The New York Times reported that Starlink service had been added to the White House complex's internet; press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House was working to improve WiFi connectivity
on the complex (NBC News). In June the Washington Post reported that DOGE staff had installed a Starlink terminal on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building roof without informing White House communications staff (Fortune).
Background
Musk owned and ran SpaceX, which operates Starlink, while serving as an adviser; his companies had federal contracts and regulatory matters before the government (Washington Examiner).
Official response
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the agency was aware of DOGE's plans and did not consider this matter a security incident or security breach
(Washington Post via Fortune). Democratic lawmakers wrote to chief of staff Susie Wiles alleging conflicts of interest and corruption
(Washington Examiner).
Fact-checks and findings
According to the Post, the Starlink Guest
network allowed connections without standard tracking or authentication, requiring only a password (Fortune).
Sources
- NBC News17 Mar 2025
- Washington Examiner (via Denver Gazette)18 Mar 2025
- Fortune10 Jun 2025
This entry records what was publicly said or done, as reported by the sources above. Quotes are attributed to the person who made them.
