- A lawmaker is calling on Elon Musk to give SpaceX's StarShield access to US troops in Taiwan.
- Refusing to do so could violate SpaceX's contractual obligations to the U.S. government, Forbes reported.
- Musk's important business relationships in China may have contributed to his reaction.
According to Forbes magazine, Elon Musk is under pressure to provide SpaceX's StarShield satellite network to US defense officials in Taiwan.
In a letter to Musk that was first obtained by the media, Representative Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., said SpaceX had a contractual commitment to allow the U.S. Department of Defense to use its satellite communications services. I have repeatedly stated that there is.
It is unclear whether other members of Congress also signed the Feb. 24 letter, Forbes reported. However, the newspaper reported that a “group of US lawmakers” was involved in a push to provide Mr Musk with satellite access to US defense forces in Taiwan. The Wall Street Journal, which later reported on the letter, noted only that Gallagher had been involved in writing the letter.
Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said in the letter that the Pentagon has earmarked “tens of millions of dollars” for StarShield. StarShield is designed for government use and uses satellites in low Earth orbit to transmit signals. Provide images to military agencies.
Designed specifically for national security customers, StarShield satellites provide essential internet access to remote areas and locations affected by natural disasters or combat zones, and to protect Ukraine from invading Russian forces. It is extremely important for the battle.
“I understand that SpaceX may be withholding broadband internet service in and around Taiwan,” Gallagher wrote in the letter, according to Forbes magazine. “This may be a breach of duty,” he wrote.
“A robust communications network for U.S. military personnel in and around Taiwan is paramount to protecting U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific region,” the congressman continued.
In his letter, Mr. Gallagher emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of American personnel in the region and raised concerns about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
“U.S. military personnel in the Western Pacific will be at grave risk,” Musk wrote in the letter, according to Forbes.
The letter then asked Musk to explain StarShield's capabilities in Taiwan to the select committee. Forbes reported on March 8th.
Forbes reported that it was “unlikely” that Musk would be encouraged by Washington lawmakers to bring StarShield to Taiwan, but noted the importance of SpaceX's contract with the military.
Mr. Gallagher led a bipartisan delegation of five U.S. lawmakers to Taiwan this week, with the purpose, according to a report in the New York Times, to help the United States protect its home country in the face of increasing pressure and aggression from China. The aim was to reassure Taiwan that it would support its security interests.
According to a report in the Times, Gallagher told Taiwan's next president, Lai Ching-de, who will take office in May, that “the United States is on Taiwan's side and can draw on the deep friendship and support of the U.S. Congress.” It is said that he spoke.
The request could pose a challenge for Mr. Musk, who has significant business ties in China, where Tesla has a significant manufacturing presence.
Musk has not been shy about talking about the tense relationship between Taiwan and China. He floated the idea that the conflict between the two countries could subside if Taiwan becomes a “special administrative region” similar to Hong Kong in 2022.
Taiwanese officials have pushed back against Musk's comments that Taiwan is an “integral part of China.” Taiwan has been ruled independently from China since the 1949 civil war. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu responded to Musk's inflammatory remarks in September 2023. Post to Xwrote, “Listen…Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China and certainly not for sale!”
Gallagher's office and SpaceX representatives Business Insider did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
