Musk Blames Trump Admin for Starshield Throttling in Ukraine
Tech mogul Elon Musk stated that U.S. government decisions, not SpaceX, led to the slowdown of a military version of Starlink in Ukraine, a move Ukrainian President Zelensky warned would cost lives.
Tech titan Elon Musk indicated that the Trump administration, not SpaceX, was responsible for the throttling of Starshield, a military variant of the Starlink satellite internet service, in Ukraine. This development occurred amid warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the service disruption could lead to fatalities.
Initially, Ukrainian and European officials had directed blame toward Musk for the slowdown. However, Musk clarified on Wednesday that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS."
He further distinguished Starlink's commercial operations, stating, "Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company."
Ukraine has heavily relied on Starshield for drone operations and logistical support in its defense against Russian forces. Ukrainian officials noted that connectivity issues arose when drones operated at speeds of 160 km/h or more. By Wednesday afternoon, Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced that connectivity at speeds up to 160 km/h was being restored and expressed hope for continued support from Musk.
President Zelensky had previously voiced concerns about the impact of the throttling, telling "Piers Morgan Uncensored," "It’s a big mistake. People will die." The service disruption coincided with heightened Russian attacks on Ukraine, including ballistic missile strikes.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the Pentagon contracts with SpaceX for Starshield services through Space Force, which gives the department a direct role in managing agreements with the company. However, the extent to which the military or SpaceX holds authority over specific operational restrictions, such as speed limits, remains unclear.
The New York Post reached out to the White House and the Pentagon for comment.