Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently announced that her government is in talks with several private companies, including Elon Musk‘s SpaceX, about the country’s telecom security system. However, she firmly denied holding any private discussions with Musk on the subject.
“I’ve never discussed this with Musk. I don’t use my public position to do favors for friends,” Meloni stated during her start-of-the-year press conference when asked about potential collaboration with Musk’s company in relation to Italy’s telecom security.
National interest is the “only lens”
Meloni emphasized that national interest is the “only lens” through which her government is considering such deals, referring to SpaceX’s satellite system, Starlink.
Meloni also suggested that the controversy surrounding the potential deal could be linked to Musk’s political views. “Is the issue about private investments or the political ideas of the investors?” she asked reporters. Meloni defended Musk’s right to express his political views, arguing that he does not pose a threat to democracy. “The issue arises when individuals use resources to fund parties and groups worldwide to influence policies, which I don’t see Musk doing, unlike George Soros,” she said.
Elon Musk’s political views a problem?
“I find that interference dangerous,” Meloni continued. “But when that happens, we refer to them as philanthropists: is the issue that Musk is rich and influential, or that he’s not left-wing?”
Musk, a close ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, has expressed enthusiasm for partnering with Italy, offering through X (formerly Twitter) that SpaceX is “ready to provide Italy the most secure and advanced connectivity.”
Starlink has been operating in Italy since 2021 and could potentially expand its services to include emergency response during disasters or terrorist attacks. Musk’s company is also developing Starshield, a project for defense and sensitive operations.
The reported deal, worth 1.5 billion Euros (approximately 1.6 billion USD) over five years, has raised concerns among opposition parties, who question whether a company led by Musk should handle such sensitive communications.
