Elon Musk announced Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has approved the use of Starlink, thanking the kingdom for allowing him to operate his satellite internet company in the country.
Musk made the announcement while speaking at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum being held during President Donald Trump’s visit to Kingdom. He said Starlink would be used for “maritime aviation.”
Musk also suggested he would bring Tesla’s (TSLA) robotaxis to Saudi Arabia. “I think it would be very exciting to have autonomous vehicles here in the kingdom if you’re amenable,” he told the crowd. Tesla is testing robotaxis in Austin and San Francisco, but the company has not yet launched them commercially.
The Starlink news comes after a Washington Post report said the U.S. government was pushing countries facing heavy tariffs to approve the use of Musk’s satellite service. While the government cables cited in the story didn’t show a quid pro quo, they did include U.S. officials encouraging countries to approve Starlink’s use amid trade talks.
Starlink, which is owned by Musk’s SpaceX, recently started offering its services for free outside the U.S. to increase use.
Musk’s role at the Department of Government Efficiency has raised questions about conflicts of interest, many of which involve Starlink. In March, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly ordered employees to find tens of millions of dollars for a deal with Starlink.
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