Trump Calls Musk, Urges Full Restoration of Ukraine's Starshield Service

President Donald Trump spoke with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday, urging him to lift any restrictions on the Starshield satellite internet service for Ukraine. This intervention follows a week of conflicting reports regarding the cause of disruptions to Ukraine's US-provided battlefield communications.

The White House official confirmed that Trump's conversation with Musk, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, centered on ensuring the full functionality of Starshield, a specialized version of SpaceX's Starlink, which is vital for Ukraine's drone operations and battlefield communication systems.

Trump, who has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denied any involvement in ordering a slowdown of the service. Reports on the cause of the initial service limitations have varied, with some citing White House instructions and others suggesting Musk initiated the changes after approaching Trump. Musk himself stated on October 14 that "any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS."

Administration sources have indicated ongoing uncertainty about the precise cause of the slowdown. One theory suggests that Ukraine might have experienced limitations due to utilizing the consumer version of Starlink instead of the military-focused Starshield, though this remains unconfirmed.

Trump's concerns about Ukrainian actions, particularly attacks on Russian refineries which he believes contribute to rising fuel prices, have been a point of contention. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Starshield system has seen improvements since Trump's call to Musk, although it has not yet returned to full operational capacity.