Trump admin exempts SpaceX's Starlink from FCC ban on foreign-made routers

The Trump administration today exempted SpaceX’s Starlink routers from the Federal Communications Commission ban on foreign-made routers.

A public notice issued by the FCC said Starlink routers received approval from the Department of War (also known as the Department of Defense). SpaceX’s exemption is good until February 1, 2028.

The FCC kicked off an industry-wide scramble when it updated the Covered List to include all consumer-grade routers made at least partly outside the US, except those that are granted exemptions. The Covered List includes devices deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security. Given that routers are generally built outside the US or at least contain foreign-made components, all major vendors need exemptions.

Netgear, Amazon, and other companies have previously been given exemptions. It’s widely expected that companies with Chinese ties will have the most trouble obtaining exemptions from the Trump administration, which alleges that foreign networking products pose national security risks and has pushed companies to make more devices in the US.

SpaceX routers made in Vietnam

SpaceX has a factory in Texas, and some of its routers have the words “Made in the USA” printed on them, leading some to believe that it might be the only major router maker to escape the FCC’s wide-ranging ban. But other Starlink routers are made in Vietnam, as PCMag reported in April.