Another Elon Musk Business Signs Contract to Work With US Federal Agency, This Time to One Affected By Staffing Cuts

Elon Musk's telecommunications company, Starlink, signed a contract with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), days after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) laid off hundreds of agency employees.

The FAA is working with Starlink, Musk's satellite internet company, to improve telecommunication connections and provide more reliable weather updates, an FAA spokesperson told Bloomberg.

The agency will deploy 4,000 Starlink terminals in the coming months and aims to have a fully functional program within the next 12 to 18 months, Bloomberg reported.

Although contract details have yet to be revealed, it is the latest in a series of agreements and tax breaks afforded to Musk and his many corporations by the federal government. The contract comes as Musk's role as the head of DOGE is being challenged as a potential conflict of interest.

Tesla has raked in at least $3.4 billion in tax credits given to Americans to invest in electric vehicles, and the Trump administration awarded Tesla a $400 million contract to provide "armored electrical vehicles."

Musk's SpaceX has also benefited. It has received $8.7 billion of a promised $20.7 billion in the form of government contracts, research grants and other forms of public assistance.

Additionally, the Department of Defense (DoD) has promised the space technology $5.6 billion in contracts, with a maximum future payout of $32.8 billion, according to the Independent.

Last week, Musk's DOGE laid off more than 300 FAA employees, including highly specialized employees responsible for producing and updating maps used by airlines, pilots and air traffic controllers, WTOP reported.