Robert Reich Urges Democrats to 'Defund' Musk, Eyes Starlink and SpaceX Takeover

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich has called on Democrats to "defund" Elon Musk and lay the groundwork for nationalizing Starlink and SpaceX, saying they should become a public corporation if Democrats regain power. Reich, who served as President Bill Clinton's labor secretary from 1993 to 1997, said Musk represents the power of oligarchy over democracy. His call followed a Wall Street Journal report that Musk ordered a slowdown of a military-grade Starlink version that Ukraine relies on. U.S. officials and others told the Journal the move caused panic in Kyiv and confusion inside the Trump administration, and that it left some offensive and interceptor drones virtually useless. Musk and Trump discussed it in a call, and both were reported angry at Ukraine for attacking Russian diesel refineries, which Trump blames for high energy prices. Musk wrote on X that Ukraine's military violated Starlink's terms of service by using it for offensive drone strikes.

The Guardian US, a left-leaning outlet, runs a Reich column. It argues that no private individual should shape U.S. foreign policy and calls Musk "Exhibit A" for taxing billionaires, curbing big money in politics, limiting media purchases and denying them military contracts. It leans on the Journal's reporting and says high prices stem from Trump's war in Iran. The Blaze, a right-leaning outlet, leads with Reich urging a "government takeover" and says Musk responded. It adds that Reich accused Musk of bribing his way into politics, and it stresses Reich's Clinton-era résumé. Both sides quote Reich on Musk and oligarchy, but the left centers the Ukraine episode and Musk's admission, while the right centers the takeover proposal. Reason, an independent outlet, takes a distinct angle: it says Democrats want to investigate or jail Musk, calls nationalization reckless, and says Starlink in Ukraine is for civilian use only.