The US Secretary of Trade tells leaders of broadband rural

Howard Luni, Secretary of Commerce of President Trump, told the leaders of the government initiative for broad -band access to the government yes Prioritize less reliable satellite connectivity Above the ground broadband, Elon Musk’s Starlink is specifically recommended. This is according to Financial Timeswho reports that Luni “mentions Musk by name.”

The comments came from Evan Feinman, who runs the broadband rural program until she was pushed last week. “The clear thrust of his directive was to increase the amount of satellite used, despite other reasons,” Feinman told FtS Starlink uses satellites in orbit with low ground, offering faster speeds than older space internet services like Hughesnet. But Feynman has been An outspoken critic of using Starlink At the point of fiber optics, the satellite internet cannot reach the types of speeds expected from ground infrastructure. The requests make a tour of space and back and therefore there is significant ping; Synchronous communications such as video calls or multiplayer games can be slow. Starlink is easy to provide initially, as customers simply need a satellite dish. But Feinman’s argument is that in the long run, village Americans will remain with a smaller service.

While Feynman can be described as a disgruntled former employee, the claim he has made is not at all surprisingly another example of Musk’s influence in the White House, which benefits from his business empire at the expense of others. President Trump has used his platform to Promote Tesla vehicles Against the backdrop of sales crashes and other agencies have considered providing contracts of musk companies. Musk’s contribution to nearly $ 300 million to Trump’s PAC is Quid Pro Quo outdoors.

His most offer for being the heart of the Internet in the rural areas of America is not a huge surprise. During the Biden Administration, the Federal Communication Committee refused Nearly $ 900 million in subsidies to SpaceX through the bead program, saying that his service does not meet the expectations of speed. Bead, as it is called the Rural Internet program, is the initiative for $ 42.45 billion, launched in the Biden administration to expand the high -speed broadband in rural communities. In addition to refusing Musk, almost a billion dollars of subsidies Bead also received criticism from Republicans, as no service is yet located through the three -year program. Three countries were preparing to hit dirt just when President Trump took office for his second term.

Now Feinman is out, Starlink and SpaceX are back to the subsidy bed and without major technological changes to how Starlink works, it’s hard to see Luni’s comments as more than a favor.