Meloni says Italy is exploring deals on telecoms security, but denies private talks with Musk Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni said Thursday that her government is in talks with several private companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, over the country’s telecoms security system, but denied having discussed the issue privately 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.
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.
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.
