SpaceX founder Elon Musk ordered restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite communications system, sources told The Wall Street Journal.
The sources said Musk’s decision caused “panic in Kyiv” and “confusion inside the Trump administration.”
As the uproar grew, SpaceX representatives contacted their White House counterparts to agree on a statement saying the company and the Trump administration had coordinated their actions.
Musk and Trump discussed the decision by phone shortly after the Starlink restrictions became public, two sources told The Wall Street Journal. One source said Musk and Trump had also discussed the issue before the decision to impose restrictions.
Some officials say Musk acted unilaterally and Trump gave no specific order. But a source familiar with the situation said Musk had spoken with several senior administration officials, including Trump, before imposing the restrictions.
On October 14, Ukrainian forces reported restrictions on their Starlink satellite communications terminals — specifically, the military version, Starshield. The restrictions disrupted Ukrainian military missions, among other things.
Two days later, Trump said he had not ordered restrictions on Starshield in Ukraine and did not know who could have done so. But The Telegraph, citing four sources, reported that Musk had approached Trump with a proposal to limit Starlink speeds in Ukraine. One of the newspaper’s sources said Trump agreed.
Ukraine’s military Starlink access
- How Ukraine’s military uses Starlink — and what would happen if the Trump administration cut off its satellite communications entirely
- Ukrainian troops lost Starlink access for a day. Elon Musk and the Trump White House both deny responsibility.
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