American Bureaucrat Warns EU: ‘It’s Starlink or China’

The head of the American FCC uses threatening language towards Europe. If the EU decides to ban Starlink, the only alternative will come from China.

The mutual discourse between the European Union and the United States hasn’t sounded as friendly lately. Brendan Carr, top executive of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is not the first American politician to direct threatening words towards the European Union. According to Carr, it would be unwise for European countries to ban the Starlink network, writes the Financial Times.

Starlink’s position in Europe is under pressure. The satellite network has been available in Europe for several years, but policymakers are starting to openly question whether Starlink can be trusted. This is mainly due to who owns Starlink, namely Elon Musk, CEO of the parent company SpaceX.

Threat to Digital Sovereignty

Besides being a good friend of Donald Trump, Elon Musk is a fervent and outspoken supporter of the right-wing conservative camp in Europe. Left-wing and centrist politicians therefore view Starlink as a potential threat to Europe’s digital sovereignty. A recent deal between Starlink and the Italian government was not well received, as it hinders the development of European alternatives.

Elon Musk, on the other hand, is not averse to using Starlink to exert political pressure in Europe. At the end of February, he threatened to shut down the Starlink network in Ukraine to force the notorious minerals deal with the United States. Musk later withdrew that threat. In war-affected areas, Starlink offers a valuable alternative when land-based telecom infrastructure is damaged.

Bogeyman

Back to Carr’s statements. The FCC chief, who is on good terms with Musk, believes that the EU is picking the wrong enemy with Starlink. He accuses the Union of an ‘anti-American’ and ‘protectionist’ attitude, which, in the extension of Trump’s trade war with the entire world, is the pot calling the kettle black.

According to Carr, the European Union is currently stuck between the United States and China, who dominate the global network industry. The EU should think twice about whose side it wants to be on, says Carr, because China is the ‘bogeyman’ in the eyes of the United States. ‘If you’re worried about Starlink, just wait for China’s version, then you’ll really be worried,’ is the clear message.

‘If Europe had its own satellite constellation, that would be great, the more the better even. But right now, I think Europe is a bit stuck between the US and China. And it’s time to choose,’ Carr adds.

The European Union is trying to work on its own alternatives. The IRIS²-project is on the agenda and Eutelsat is also ready to oust Starlink. Where the United States has a point is that these projects won’t be ready in a day.