'Not My Habit': Meloni Denies Private Talks With Musk; But Telecom Security Talks Continue

Rome: Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, confirmed on Thursday that her government is in negotiations with several private companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, regarding the country’s telecom security system. However, she firmly denied having discussed the matter privately with Musk, responding to reporters' questions during a press conference. “I never talked about this with Musk. It’s not my habit to use my public role to do favors to friends,” Meloni said, responding to reporters’ questions during her start-of-the-year press conference on a possible deal with Musk’s group over Italian telecoms security.

Meloni stressed that national interest was the "sole criterion" through which she assessed potential contracts with SpaceX, the owner of the Starlink satellite system. Reportedly worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) and spread over five years, the project sparked an outcry by Italy’s opposition parties, questioning that the handling of such communications could be handed to a Musk company.

If the deal is sealed, SpaceX would provide encryption services for the Italian government and communications infrastructure for the military and emergency services.

Earlier this week, Meloni denied forging such a deal with Musk – who has developed a friendly relationship with the Italian premier. A government statement went even further, “categorically” denying that a SpaceX deal was discussed during Meloni’s recent meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago.

“SpaceX allows very delicate information to be communicated securely on a diplomatic and military level,” Meloni told Thursday’s press conference. “Regarding the method, I can say that these are discussions that the government has with many private companies.”

Meloni reiterated that the government is still in an “investigative” phase and no contracts have been signed. “The issue is that there are no public alternatives for these technologies, obviously it’s a question of placing data protection in the hands of a private entity. But the alternative is not having these data protected,” she said.

“Both scenarios are not ideal … If one day communications of sensitive data end up in the wrong hands, the government is responsible,” she added.

Meloni also noted that Musk’s political ideas could have been the real reason behind the controversy.

“Is the problem related to private investments or to the political ideas of the investors?” she asked the press conference’s audience.

Musk, who’s a close ally of Trump, has openly expressed his enthusiasm for a possible collaboration with Rome, writing on X that his company is “ready to provide Italy the most secure and advanced connectivity.”

Already active in Italy since 2021, Starlink could expand its services to include emergencies, such as disasters or terrorist attacks. Musk’s group is also developing another project for defence and sensitive operations called Starshield.

Experts in the security field have stressed the increasing sensitivity of European countries sealing partnerships with SpaceX, whose success has put increasing pressure on Europe’s satellite and telecoms industry.

Meloni also defended Musk’s freedom to express his political ideas, saying that in her opinion he didn’t pose a risk for democracy.

“The problem is when these people use resources to finance parties and associations halfway around the world to influence policies, which I don’t see Musk doing, unlike (American investor and philanthropist George) Soros,” the Italian premier said.

“I consider this a dangerous interference,” she added. “But when it happened, we talked about philanthropists: is the problem that (Musk) is rich and influential or that he is not left-wing?” she asked.

In December, the leader of the right-wing populist Reform party in the U.K., Nigel Farage, said the party was in “open negotiations” with Musk over a donation, although he played down speculation that it could be as much as $100 million.

However, Farage later distanced himself from Musk after the billionaire called for the release from prison of a far-right activist who goes by the name of Tommy Robinson.