Trump takes credit for Elon Musk sending Starlink to help after Hurricane Helene

SpaceX founder and billionaire Elon Musk said he had spoken with former President Donald Trump about additional need

Donald Trump has appeared to take credit for SpaceX founder and billionaire Elon Musk sending Starlink satellite terminals to help in parts of North Carolina hit by Hurricane Helene.

On Tuesday, Musk said that he had been made aware of extra support needed in the state after the devastating storm struck last week.

“Since the Hurricane Helene disaster, SpaceX has sent as many Starlink terminals as possible to help areas in need. Earlier today, @realDonaldTrump alerted me to additional people who need Starlink Internet in North Carolina. We are sending them terminals right away,” Musk wrote in a post on his platform X.

Musk’s input comes after the Republican presidential nominee told a crowd in Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday that he had spoken with Musk, who had previously endorsed Trump.

Trump said that Musk would “come through” for residents hit hard by the devastation from Hurricane Helene, which brought landslides, heavy rainfall, and deadly flash flooding to the state.

“I just spoke to Elon. We want to get Starlink hooked up because they have no communication whatsoever. Elon will always come through. We know that,” he said.

Elon Musk said he had spoken with former President Donald Trump about deploying additional Starlink units to areas affected by Helene ((AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File))

However, that was a plan that White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said was already in motion.

“This is already happening,” Bates wrote on Twitter Monday, following Trump’s remarks. He linked to a release from FEMA which said 40 of the satellite systems were available to help with responder communications.

In addition, FEMA said 140 satellites were being shipped to assist with “communications infrastructure restoration.”

Trump said Elon Musk would ‘come through’ for residents in the Southeast ((AP Photo/Evan Vucci))

The agency said one Starlink would be deployed per county to assist with communications.

The SpaceX satellites provide high-speed internet access around the world. Starlink controls nearly two-thirds of the world’s active satellites.

North Carolina officials have said lack of service in the area has hindered response and relief efforts after the storm hit the state over the weekend.

Storm debris is seen in the waters of North Carolina’s Lake Lure on Monday ((AP Photo/Gary D. Robertson))

Power outages continue for more of the US Southeast, with more than 1.6 million customers shown without power on Tuesday morning, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US.

The hurricane has taken the lives of more than 130 people, with hundreds who remain missing. Search and rescue efforts continued Tuesday, as a portion of a major highway reopened.