Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, DC) – Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has called for a federal investigation into allegations that Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite venture benefited from trade negotiations during the Trump administration, including a permit granted by The Gambia.
In a video posted Sunday, Warren said, “Suddenly, some of the same countries that were negotiating trade deals with Trump started giving Starlink some pretty good deals,” specifically mentioning The Gambia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and India.
She called this “textbook corruption,” suggesting that Musk may have leveraged the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs to secure foreign market access for Starlink, his satellite internet service.
“Is Elon Musk using international trade negotiations as leverage to make even more and more and more money for himself?” Warren asked. “Looks like textbook corruption.”
While Starlink’s potential entry into The Gambia had previously been welcomed as a boost for the country’s internet connectivity and digital economy, Warren’s comments put a new spotlight on how such foreign operating permits may have been tied to trade negotiations under Trump.
In a related development, Senate Democrats last month urged a federal probe into whether the Trump administration actively helped Musk gain market entry overseas. This followed reports that U.S. embassies and the State Department were promoting satellite firms, including Starlink, during trade discussions with tariff-affected countries.
Warren argued that while Musk was “cashing in” on Trump’s tariffs, the American public and U.S. businesses have faced higher import prices and economic disruptions.
As of now, Musk and his companies have not publicly addressed Warren’s claims. SpaceX, which operates Starlink, did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Tesla, the electric vehicle company also led by Musk, saw its stock drop 3.34% on Friday, with further declines in after-hours trading.
For The Gambia, which has been seeking to modernize its digital infrastructure, the allegations come at a time when officials have praised Starlink’s arrival as part of broader economic reforms. However, Warren’s push for a probe raises new questions about whether the country’s negotiations were part of a larger geopolitical dynamic rather than purely a national development priority.
