White House security staff warned Musk’s Starlink is a security risk

Elon Musk’s team at the U.S. DOGE Service and allies in the Trump administration ignored White House communications experts worried about potential security breaches when DOGE personnel installed Musk’s Starlink internet service in the complex. Those who were managing White House communications systems were not informed in advance when DOGE representatives went to the roof of the adjacent Eisenhower Executive Office Building in February 2025 to install a terminal connecting users in the complex to Starlink satellites, which are owned by Musk’s private SpaceX rocket company. Those managing the systems weren’t able to monitor such connections to stop sensitive information from leaving the complex or hackers from breaking in. A “Starlink Guest” WiFi network appeared on White House phones in February, prompting users only for a password, not a username or a second form of authentication. That network remains available.