Following revelations by The Washington Post about Secretary of State Marco Rubio directing the State Department to support Starlink’s expansion to counter Chinese technology, ProPublica detailed efforts in Africa where US diplomats engaged with Starlink executives and local regulators in Gambia, Djibouti, Cameroon, and Lesotho to expedite licensing. Meetings were framed as demonstrations of US friendship, with diplomats warning that delays could result in cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency linked to Elon Musk, affecting aid and programs in those countries. Notably, shortly after Trump’s presidency began, US ambassador Sharon Cromer met with Gambia’s communications head to discuss fast-tracking Starlink licensing.
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