SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, has urged the U.S. to address trade barriers affecting its Starlink satellite communications service in foreign countries. The company argues that competitors abroad face no import costs in the U.S. and highlighted the expenses incurred for access to spectrum, import duties on equipment, and regulatory fees, which it claims "artificially" raise operating costs overseas.
With operations in over 120 markets globally, SpaceX sometimes needs to coordinate spectrum sharing with domestic satellite operators before offering services in certain countries. The company labeled these requirements as "protectionist non-tariff trade barriers" in a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative's Office dated Tuesday.
In the letter, Matt Dunn, SpaceX's senior director for global government affairs, expressed that such policies hinder SpaceX from offering superior quality and more cost-effective services to customers in these countries. SpaceX's concerns align with broader tensions related to trade barriers for American companies, with Tesla, another company led by Musk, also raising similar warnings.
Musk, known for his close ties with the U.S. government, particularly the Trump administration, is actively involved in efforts to reduce the federal government's size. He oversees the self-declared Department of Government Efficiency.