May 14 (UPI) -- Senate Democrats want to know if the Trump administration is intervening on behalf of Elon Musk-owned Starlink to enable the global communications firm to land more deals with other nations.
Eight Senate Democrats signed the letter that is dated Wednesday and in which they cite a recent Washington Post article claiming the State Department and U.S. embassies "have pushed nations to clear hurdles for U.S. satellite companies, often mentioning Starlink by name."
The eight senators are Elizabeth Warren, Mark Warner, Jeanne Shaheen, Jack Reed, Richard Blumenthal, Jeffrey Merkley, Martin Heinrich and Edward Markey.
The Washington Post report and internal government messages "indicate that Mr. Musk may be using his official role and his proximity to the president as leverage for his own personal financial benefit -- even if it comes at the expense of American consumers and the nation's foreign policy interests," Warren, et al., said.
"These actions raise questions about whether Mr. Musk or other administration officials may be violating ethics or other laws."
