SAN FRANCISCO, March 5, (V7N) — An internet rights advocacy group has raised concerns over reports that the Trump administration is planning to redirect billions of dollars from a rural broadband deployment program to Elon Musk’s Starlink, potentially benefiting the billionaire significantly.

The non-profit group Free Press, a staunch supporter of net neutrality, criticized the move, warning that it could undermine efforts to provide reliable and affordable broadband access to millions of Americans in rural areas.

The controversy follows a Wall Street Journal report stating that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick plans to significantly boost funding for satellite internet providers like Starlink instead of fiber-optic cable providers, which offer more stable, high-speed broadband connections.

Starlink is a subsidiary of Musk's SpaceX.

Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, was a major donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Trump appointed Musk as a "special government employee" and "senior adviser to the president".

Musk also heads the Department of Government Efficiency, a newly created agency cutting budgets and slashing government positions.

The $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program was created under the Biden administration’s 2021 infrastructure law to expand high-speed internet across rural America.

The program originally prioritized fiber-optic networks due to their long-term reliability and speed. However, Free Press alleges the Trump administration is rewriting the rules to benefit Starlink.

"The administration is throwing out a bipartisan approach just to favor companies run by insiders in the White House," said Craig Aaron, co-chief of Free Press.

Under Biden’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Starlink was denied nearly $900 million in subsidies in 2022 because it failed to prove it could meet service speed and reliability standards.

Critics argue that Starlink, which already serves US customers without subsidies, does not need federal funding, while fiber-optic networks require significant investment to expand.

"From the FAA to the Defense Department, giving billions to Musk seems to be the administration's top priority. Now, the Commerce Department is joining in," Aaron added.

With bipartisan concerns over favoritism, Congress may scrutinize the Commerce Department’s broadband funding overhaul. The debate highlights broader tensions over public-private partnerships, government spending, and potential conflicts of interest in the Trump administration.

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