Italian leader Meloni denies private talks with Elon Musk on Starlink deal

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Thursday that her government is in discussions with several private firms regarding Italy’s telecom security infrastructure, including Elon Musk‘s SpaceX. However, she denied having held private talks with Musk on the matter.

Why It Matters

Starlink, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is a satellite internet service designed to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband internet around the world, especially in remote or underserved areas.

The system uses a “constellation” of thousands of tiny satellites in Low-Earth Orbit—about 342 miles above the ground—which communicate with each other using lasers.

These satellites’ have a lower altitude compared to traditional communication satellites, affording them reduced latency, or the delay in data transmission across a network.

What To Know

Meloni emphasized that Italy’s national interest serves as “the only lens” through which she evaluates potential contracts with SpaceX, the operator of the Starlink satellite system.

The project, reportedly valued at 1.5 billion Euros ($1.6 billion) over a five-year period, has drawn sharp criticism from Italy’s opposition parties, who have raised concerns about entrusting the country’s communications infrastructure to a company owned by Musk.

Musk And Meloni’s Reported Friendship

Earlier this week, Meloni dismissed claims of striking a deal with Musk, with whom she has developed a cordial relationship. A government statement went further, “categorically” denying that a potential agreement with SpaceX was discussed during Meloni’s recent meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press made via email.

Starlink And SpaceX

Operating in Italy since 2021, Starlink could broaden its scope to support emergency response efforts, including disaster relief and counterterrorism operations. Musk’s company is also working on a defense-oriented project, Starshield, aimed at supporting sensitive military operations.

Security experts have highlighted the growing sensitivity surrounding European nations forming partnerships with SpaceX, whose rapid success has intensified competition and pressure on Europe’s satellite and telecommunications sector.

In December, Nigel Farage, leader of the U.K.’s right-wing populist Reform Party, revealed that the party was in “open negotiations” with Elon Musk regarding a potential donation. However, Farage dismissed speculation that the contribution could reach $100 million.

What People Are Saying

Meloni said to reporters: “I never talked about this with Musk. It’s not my habit to use my public role to do favors to friends.”

“SpaceX allows very delicate information to be communicated securely on a diplomatic and military level…regarding the method, I can say that these are discussions that the government has with many private companies,” Meloni said.

“The issue is that there are no public alternatives for these technologies, obviously it’s a question of placing data protection in the hands of a private entity. But the alternative is not having these data protected…Both scenarios are not ideal…If one day communications of sensitive data end up in the wrong hands, the government is responsible,” she added.

Musk, a close ally of Donald Trump, has voiced his eagerness for a potential partnership with Rome. In a January 6 post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk stated that his company is “ready to provide Italy the most secure and advanced connectivity.”

What’s Next

Should the deal go through, SpaceX would be responsible for providing encryption services for the Italian government, as well as managing communications infrastructure for the nation’s military and emergency services.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.