FAA Reportedly Considers Starlink Deal Amid Uncertainty Over Verizon Contract

FAA officials reportedly directed staff to locate funding for a potential Starlink agreement, raising questions about the status of Verizon's existing $2.4 billion airspace technology contract.

FAA officials reportedly instructed staff to identify tens of millions of dollars for a potential agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink to upgrade air traffic control communications systems.
The status of Verizon's $2.4 billion contract with the FAA to modernize airspace management systems remains unclear, as no formal termination or Starlink deal has been confirmed.
Unusual verbal directives to FAA staff, reportedly aimed at avoiding a paper trail, have raised concerns about transparency in the decision-making process.
Critics, including House Representatives Rosa DeLauro and James Clyburn, have called the reported move a conflict of interest, citing Musk's dual role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his business ties to SpaceX and Starlink.
Musk has claimed that Starlink terminals are being provided at no cost to taxpayers to address what he describes as urgent air traffic control connectivity challenges, though some of his statements have been corrected for inaccuracies.