Elon Musk Accuses Trump Admin of Using Starlink for Military Purposes

Starlink owner Elon Musk on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of breaching the agreement his company has with the Pentagon amid reports of disputes over charges.

Musk took to his X social media platform to accuse the Department of Defense (DOD) of violating the terms of service for using Starlink at a time when the U.S. military is relying more and more on external companies and products, specifically those belonging to the billionaire.

“They made improper use of the Starlink civilian system for military purposes,” Musk said on X. “Direct violation of terms of service.”

According to Reuters, which spoke to officials on condition of anonymity and reviewed internal DOD documents, the government and Musk’s SpaceX, which owns Starlink, are at odds with each other over raised costs, which the company argued were necessary because the Pentagon had agreed to a civilian-level plan while using a higher tier of service for military operations in Iran.

Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon for comment via email Tuesday afternoon.

Pentagon Starlink Use: What To Know

SpaceX sells a military-specific version of its product, called Starshield, which Reuters said the Pentagon had opted to use in a 2023 agreement. The terminals can connect to commercial Starlink satellites and more secure options.

The outlet reported that Musk’s company officials argued that under the existing agreement, Starlink should not be used on the U.S.’ LUCAS suicide drones in Iran. The drones are able to circle a target before diving and detonating on impact.

SpaceX was reported to have argued that this use more aligned with its aviation-tier subscription, at around $25,000 per month, which the Pentagon was not paying for. Instead, the government appeared to be paying $5,000 per connection.

The Pentagon has also been using Starlink to help Iranians bypass communications bans imposed by their government, but this effort has also reportedly caused tensions with SpaceX over pricing.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 1:09 PM.