Elon Musk, expressing bewilderment, questioned the motives behind the Federal Communications Commission's denial of nearly $900 million in subsidies for Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet constellation, as his mother, Maye Musk, accused President Biden of hindering his mission to "make this world a better place."
Maye Musk expressed her frustration on social media, questioning the motives behind the decision and seeking answers from the public, as per New York Post.
FCC Ruling Sparks Dissent Over Alleged Elon Musk Harassment
Canadian-South African model Maye Musk arrives for the screening of the film "Asteroid City" during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 23, 2023.
The FCC's ruling on Tuesday upheld its 2022 decision, sparking dissent from two Republican members of the commission. FCC member Brendan Carr suggested that President Biden's actions were unjust, linking them to Musk's high-profile purchase of Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022. Carr contended that federal agencies had been given the green light to target Musk, creating a pattern of regulatory harassment.
Maye Musk's post garnered widespread attention, with over 2 million views on social media as of Wednesday afternoon. The two Republican members of the FCC, including Carr, criticized the decision, arguing that it unfairly targeted Elon Musk. Carr pointed out President Biden's public statement acknowledging Musk as "worth being looked at," suggesting a coordinated effort to scrutinize the entrepreneur.
SpaceX had previously challenged the 2022 ruling, but the FCC remained steadfast in its decision on Tuesday. The commission cited Starlink's failure to meet basic program requirements and deliver promised services due to financial and technical deficiencies. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the agency's responsibility to ensure the efficient use of limited public funds meant to expand rural broadband access.
Elon Musk expressed his bewilderment at the ruling, asserting that Starlink was the only company addressing rural broadband challenges at scale. Musk claimed that the companies lobbying for the subsidies had been outperformed by Starlink and were now attempting to change the rules to impede SpaceX's competition, according to Newsweek.
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Elon Musk Calls For Fund Dissolution
Brendan Carr, in a dissenting opinion, criticized the FCC's decision as arbitrary and accused the agency of unfairly holding SpaceX to 2025 service expectations without assessing Starlink's capability to meet those expectations. He warned that the ruling would leave rural communities on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Musk echoed Carr's sentiments, suggesting that the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund should be dissolved and funds returned to taxpayers. The billionaire entrepreneur has been vocal about what he perceives as a pattern of regulatory harassment by the Biden Administration.
While SpaceX has received over $15.3 billion in government awards since 2003, Starlink's revenue surged to $1.4 billion in 2022, with projections of reaching $15 billion in revenue by 2024. Despite its financial success, concerns over the geopolitical implications of Musk's satellite network have cast a shadow over Starlink's growth.
Investors remain optimistic about Starlink's revenue opportunities, with expectations of a potential spinoff and IPO in the near future. As the controversy unfolds, the Biden Administration faces mounting scrutiny over its handling of subsidies and its relationship with influential figures in the tech industry, The Street reported.
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