U.S. State Department Accused of Pressuring Gambia to Approve Elon Musk’s Starlink as South African Push Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

The United States State Department has come under severe criticism following a detailed ProPublica investigation that accuses American diplomats of aggressively pressuring the West African country of Gambia to approve a license for Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink.

The move, seen as part of a broader push by Washington to promote Musk’s interests abroad, has reignited debates over the role of U.S. foreign policy in advancing private business ventures, particularly those tied to political allies of the current administration.

The report, published Thursday, reveals that officials from both the State Department’s headquarters in Washington and the U.S. Embassy in Banjul have been involved in sustained efforts to convince Gambian authorities to greenlight Starlink’s operations. Musk’s SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has been aggressively expanding across Africa, with 15 countries already issuing operating licenses to the company. But Gambia has so far resisted the pressure, and that resistance has not sat well with Washington.

Allegations of Diplomatic Bullying

One of the most striking revelations in the ProPublica report centers on a February meeting between U.S. Ambassador Sharon Cromer and Gambian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Lamin Queen Jammeh (referred to in the report as Lamin Jabbi). During the meeting, Cromer reportedly delivered a subtle yet unmistakable warning: Gambia’s cooperation with the U.S., including aid and development support, was connected to its willingness to accommodate Starlink.

Jammeh’s top deputy, Hassan Jallow, told ProPublica that Cromer’s remarks carried a “thinly veiled threat,” linking America’s financial support to Gambia’s position on Starlink. That tactic, said Jallow, was reiterated during a tense March visit to Washington, when Jammeh and Jallow were invited to a meeting arranged by the State Department. Present was Ben MacWilliams, a former U.S. diplomat now spearheading Starlink’s African expansion, who accused the minister of “kneecapping” Gambia’s development by dragging his feet on the licensing process.

After the meeting ended without a commitment, other scheduled discussions with U.S. officials were abruptly canceled. According to Jallow, Starlink later told the minister there was “no more need” for further engagement — a message that raised eyebrows in Banjul. Shortly thereafter, Cromer bypassed the minister entirely, sending an “important request” directly to Gambian President Adama Barrow, urging him to ignore his own communications minister and fast-track Starlink’s approval.

Musk, Trump, and Business

While U.S. officials have publicly defended their actions as part of a legitimate strategy to support American innovation abroad, it is believed that the campaign is less about digital inclusion and more about rewarding Elon Musk, now seen as a close ally of President Donald Trump.

Since Trump’s return to the White House, diplomatic efforts to promote Starlink have intensified significantly. The company’s rapid licensing gains across Africa are being viewed in some quarters as a deliberate policy shift — one that places Musk’s commercial success at the heart of U.S. diplomacy in the Global South.

Adding to the intrigue is Musk’s recent appearance alongside Trump at an investor summit in Saudi Arabia. There, the two men jointly announced that the Gulf nation had approved Starlink’s operations. In a panel that veered more into corporate promotion than statesmanship, Trump and Musk touted the billionaire’s full suite of ventures — from Tesla to SpaceX to X — signaling the depth of their political and commercial partnership.

Fallout from South Africa’s Starlink Ban

One of the key drivers of Washington’s push appears to be a desire to counterbalance the decision by South Africa, Musk’s birth country, to reject Starlink’s application for a license. South African regulators have so far denied Musk’s company permission to operate, citing local equity rules that require foreign telecom firms to partner with Black-owned South African businesses to qualify for licensing. Starlink refused to comply.

That regulatory standoff has deepened a broader diplomatic rift between South Africa and the United States, particularly since Trump’s reelection. South Africa’s recent posture — from opposing U.S. positions at the United Nations to accusing Washington of attempting to destabilize its institutions — has been read by many analysts as a response to the perceived arrogance of American diplomacy and Musk’s rising political clout.

For critics, the State Department’s aggressive Starlink diplomacy in smaller, more aid-dependent nations like Gambia is part of a calculated strategy to build influence where resistance is weaker. Gambia, with fewer regulatory hurdles and heavy reliance on Western donor funding, presents a more pliable target.

Political Payback and the Tesla Backlash

The current controversy is also unfolding against a backdrop of economic turbulence for Musk. Following Trump’s reelection and Musk’s increasingly visible political alignment with the far right, including posts mocking liberals and minorities on X, Tesla has suffered significant reputational damage. Several surveys show consumer sentiment turning against the automaker, particularly among progressives and environmentally conscious buyers who once made up Tesla’s core customer base.

Tesla sales in the U.S. and Europe have slowed sharply since late 2024, with analysts noting that Musk’s growing politicization of his companies has begun to erode brand loyalty. Many observers believe that the Biden-era tension with Musk has given way under Trump to full-blown political favoritism — and that U.S. agencies are now being deployed to help Musk recover commercially.

A spokesperson for the State Department issued a brief statement in response to the ProPublica investigation, defending the agency’s efforts.

“Starlink is an America-made product that has been a game changer in helping remote areas around the world gain internet connectivity,” the statement read. “Any patriotic American should want to see an American company’s success on the global stage, especially over compromised Chinese competitors.”