Doge cuts allow Musk to cash in with SpaceX and Starlink contracts, ex-workers warn

Tech CEO accused of aiming to privatize space and satellite operations as federal agencies reportedly seek contracts

Elon Musk appears to be laying the groundwork to privatize some space and satellite operations now under the authority of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), or steer lucrative contracts toward his SpaceX and Starlink companies, former agency employees say.

They’re sounding the alarm as at least four other federal agencies have reportedly begun pushing new contracts toward Musk’s Starlink satellite internet company. Musk, the world’s richest man, has been tasked by Donald Trump with drastically slashing the federal government workforce and costs.

Topics

Elon Musk's SpaceX, Tesla lobby Trump trade representative on tariffs

Tesla warned of the hit to its bottom line from tariffs, while SpaceX complained that foreign trade barriers affect its Starlink internet satellite service.
CNBC - Mar. 14
Nasa cuts raise fears of handing more influence to SpaceX owner Musk

Fired workers warn cuts including closing of two offices will undermine agency work and increase costs. The Trump administration ’s decision to shutter two offices at Nasa risks “dramatically” ...
The Guardian - Mar. 18
Accenture is DOGE's first corporate casualty as shares dive on warning that contracts will be cut

Shares of Accenture slid more than 7% on Thursday after the consulting firm said tighter federal spending efforts have begun to weigh on its revenues.
CNBC - 4d
Musk and Rubio spar with Polish minister over Starlink in Ukraine

The three went back and forth in an exchange of posts on X over Starlink being cut off in Ukraine.
BBC News - Mar. 9
Chaos at the V.A.: Inside the DOGE Cuts Disrupting the Veterans Agency

Clinical trials have been delayed, contracts canceled and support staff fired. With deeper cuts coming, some are warning of potential harms to veterans.
The New York Times - Mar. 9
Musk’s SpaceX Could Secure Billions in New Contracts Under Trump

The boost in federal spending for SpaceX will come in part as a result of actions by President Trump and Elon Musk’s allies and employees who hold government positions. Supporters say he has the ...
The New York Times - 2d
Musk’s SpaceX Could Secure Billions in New Contracts Under Trump

The boost in federal spending for SpaceX will come in part as a result of actions by President Trump and Elon Musk’s allies and employees who hold government positions. Supporters say he has the ...
The New York Times - 2d
Lawmakers fear DOGE cuts will drive away next generation of federal workers

Members of both parties warn that Trump and Musk's efforts will severely hinder the government's ability to recruit young people and technical experts.
NBC News - 3d
Trump defends Elon Musk, DOGE cuts to federal workforce

President Trump defended Elon Musk and DOGE over the weekend after reported rifts between Musk and Cabinet members. CBS News White House reporter Olivia Rinaldi has more.
CBS News - Mar. 10
Suggested DOGE Cuts to USPS Could Impact Prices and Mail Delivery

The United States Postal Service is working with Elon Musk’s DOGE on cuts. Here’s what that could mean for your business.
Inc. - 2d
Musk Is Not Stopping at DOGE

Elon Musk isn’t stopping at DOGE.
The New York Times - Mar. 18
Why Social Security’s Future Could Be in DOGE’s Hands

Trump promised that Elon Musk’s DOGE wouldn’t touch Social Security. But DOGE is already making cuts to the agency.
Inc. - Mar. 9
GOP grapples with mounting frustration over DOGE cuts

Republicans are facing mounting voter frustration with Trump administration cuts made under tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The anger has spilled out into ...
The Hill - 3d
Judge orders Elon Musk and Doge to produce records about cost-cutting operations

The documents would ultimately inform whether Musk has been operating unconstitutionally to the extent Doge’s activities should be halted. Elon Musk and his so-called “department of government ...
The Guardian - Mar. 13
Musk’s Starlink in tie-up with domestic tycoon to enter India

SpaceX founder and Sunil Mittal join forces against Mukesh Ambani in satellite battle
Financial Times - Mar. 11
Trump holds Cabinet meeting with Elon Musk to talk DOGE and tariffs

NBC News' Vaughn Hillyard reports on President Trump's Cabinet meeting with his administration and Elon Musk, where the secretaries and president talked cuts from DOGE and tariffs ahead of their ...
NBC News - 1d
Utah’s Republican voters fume over Doge cuts

Representatives in Trump-voting districts try to reassure constituents over Elon Musk’s unpopular federal job cuts
Financial Times - 2d
Watchdog requests probe into FAA business with Musk's Starlink

A watchdog group has asked the Transportation Department’s inspector general to investigate whether the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) business with Elon Musk’s Starlink violates conflict ...
The Hill - Mar. 13
Accenture Confirms Revenue Drop as DOGE Reviews Consulting Contracts

Elon Musk’s offensive against federal spending is clawing back some of the $65 billion in consulting contracts, some of the most prominent private sector companies to be affected.
Inc. - 4d
Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE

Current and former employees, both Republican and Democratic, are raising alarms about the damage cost-cutting efforts could do to the agency’s ability to serve the public.
The New York Times - 6d
Accenture warns Musk’s Doge-led spending crackdown is hitting revenues

Consulting group says US government purchases have slowed and global economic uncertainty has risen
Financial Times - 5d
Elon Musk and DOGE Keep Eyes on Social Security

The tech billionaire has repeatedly suggested, without evidence, that Social Security is rife with fraud, even as President Trump denies plans to cut those benefits.
The New York Times - Mar. 15
Senate Republicans tell Musk to send his cuts to Congress

The DOGE chief was told that legislative action could enshrine his slashing.
Politico - Mar. 5
If Ukraine Loses Starlink, Here Are the Best Alternatives

OneWeb, Project Kuiper, and IRIS2 could all, in time, replace Elon Musk's satellite communications system in Ukraine, but they will struggle to replicate Starlink's coverage and usability.
Wired - Mar. 6
Tesla facilities across the country attacked in protest of Elon Musk

A wave of anti-Tesla attacks have occurred as Elon Musk takes a leading role in President Trump's cost-cutting task force known as DOGE.
CBS News - Mar. 8
The Importance of Being SpaceX

Tesla might be suffering, but SpaceX is poised to profit off billions in new government contracts
The New York Times - 22h
CNBC's Inside India newsletter: Elon Musk's Starlink gets access to India, but its success rests on two billionaires

Elon Musk's Starlink is entering the Indian market. Analysts see it as a breakthrough for a U.S. firm, but navigating the Indian market will still prove tough.
CNBC - 5d
Elon Musk's Starlink has a growing footprint in the federal government

The use of Starlink has been adopted by at least one additional federal agency since Donald Trump began his second presidential term.
NBC News - Mar. 8
As Federal Cuts Brush Against Private Sector, Should Your Company Make a DOGE Contingency Plan?

A really good long-term business plan may include processes to follow in disaster scenarios. It’s something to think about, as Elon Musk’s DOGE teams upends the federal government and side effects ...
Inc. - Mar. 10
AG Pam Bondi forms DOJ team to work with DOGE on cost-cutting efforts: Sources

AG Pam Bondi has established an internal DOJ team to work with Elon Musk's DOGE group to facilitate the review of the Justice Department's various divisions, sources say.
ABC News - Mar. 13
Elon Musk-backed foreign aid group GiveDirectly is hit by Doge cuts

The nonprofit has received millions in donations from Tesla chief’s foundation
Financial Times - 6d
How Elon Musk’s DOGE Cuts Leave a Vacuum That China Can Fill

The Department of Government Efficiency is shuttering organizations that Beijing worried about most, or actively sought to subvert.
The New York Times - 3d
Laid-off FEMA employees speak out about DOGE cuts

Elon Musk today said that his Department of Government Efficiency is cooperating with cabinet secretaries on downsizing the federal bureaucracy. Since Inauguration Day, more than 200 FEMA employees ...
NBC News - Mar. 10
Musk's Starlink could help remote parts of India get online under deals with telecoms players

Elon Musk’s Starlink has signed an agreement with India’s top telecom operator on Wednesday to bring the U.S. satellite internet giant’s services to the world’s most populous country, a day after ...
ABC News - Mar. 12
Trump and DOGE Create Anxiety but Opportunity for Federal Contractors

By cutting federal employees, the Trump administration may increase its reliance on firms that take in billions through government contracts.
The New York Times - Mar. 14
Trump denies report that Musk got briefing on China war plans

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Elon Musk’s visit to the Pentagon was focused on DOGE cost cutting, denying a New York Times report that said he was to be briefed on plans ...
NBC News - 3d
How DOGE Cuts Aim to Push the Social Security Administration Beyond Breaking Point

Elon Musk’s federal spending and headcount slashing is supporting a longtime Republican goal: disabling the Social Security Administration while legislators can still deny they voted for cuts.
Inc. - Mar. 18
USPS to cut 10,000 workers through voluntary early retirement program

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy confirmed that the Elon Musk-led DOGE is now working with USPS.
CBS News - Mar. 13
DOGE’s Next Casualty? The Women’s Workwear Brand Dressing the D.C. Set

Elon Musk’s government cost-cutting efforts have unintentionally bled into the fashion world.
Inc. - Mar. 12

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