startx fails with a fatal server error

Issue

• startx fails and the error messages below are captured in the console screen.

xauth:  creating new authority file /home/USER/.serverauth.xxxx
xauth:  creating new authority file /home/USER/.Xauthority
xauth:  creating new authority file /home/USER/.Xauthority

Fatal server error:
PAM authentication failed, cannot start X server.
        Perhaps you do not have console ownership?

(EE)
Please consult the Red Hat, Inc. support
         at https://www.redhat.com/apps/support/
 for help.
(EE)
giving up.
xinit: No such file or directory (errno 2): unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error.