Starlink Watch

The Musk tracker

Elon Musk and governments worldwide

A sourced record of 215 statements and actions by Elon Musk and his companies since 2022: interventions in the politics, governments, courts and regulation of 44 countries and the European Union, threats and legal action against critics, and the use of market power against competitors. Each entry sets out what he said or did, the background, the response and what happened next.

Compiled by Starlink Watch editors · Updated

215entries
45countries and the EU
147with an official response
35with a fact-check or court finding
Share the tracker
2 entries: LesothoClear filters

2025 2

Power and conflicts

Cables show State Department pushed countries facing US tariffs to approve Starlink, Washington Post reports

The Washington Post reported that State Department cables showed US embassies pressing countries to clear regulatory hurdles for satellite companies, often mentioning Starlink by name, and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio increasingly instructed official…

Response: The State Department said Every patriotic American should want to see American companies succeed on the world stage, referring to weaker Chinese competitors (Washington Post).

LesothoIndiaUnited States2 sources
Power and conflicts

Lesotho grants Starlink a 10-year licence weeks after a 50% US tariff announcement

The Lesotho Communications Authority granted Starlink Lesotho a 10-year licence, calling it a significant step forward in the country's digital transformation (Business Day). Bloomberg reported the move came as Lesotho sought to improve ties with the US.

Response: Civil society group Section 2 said the regulator disregarded local objections that Starlink Lesotho was 100% foreign-owned (Business Day).

LesothoUnited States3 sources