Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has been installed on the White House campus, allowing for increased internet availability at the complex. The Starlink terminals receive signals from SpaceX satellites in low-Earth orbit and are now routed through a White House data center, miles from the complex itself. The initiative to improve Wi-Fi connectivity on the complex was led by Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary.
Questions have been raised about potential conflicts of interest, as Mr. Musk, an unpaid adviser at the White House, controls Starlink and other companies with ties to the federal government. Chris Stanley, a security engineer at SpaceX and social media platform X, was involved in the installation process on the White House complex, triggering a security alarm during the process.
Despite concerns about the security implications and the unconventional nature of the installation, the White House has stated that the Starlink service was a donation and had been vetted by the appropriate ethics oversight office. Starlink has also been set up at the General Services Administration, furthering Mr. Musk’s efforts to modernize government technology.
While Starlink is generally seen as a reliable network and has been used in emergency situations and remote locations, questions remain about its encryption and potential security risks. The move to install the service in government buildings with existing internet options has raised concerns among cybersecurity experts. However, it appears that the system is now working through a different data hub to address these security concerns.
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