President Donald Trump recently suggested that it was time for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to step down—comments that coincided with Ukraine’s technical difficulties.

Many analysts have noted that SpaceX’s Starshield satellite network, along with its underlying Starlink internet service, is “vital and indispensable” to Ukraine’s military defense and its ability to defend its territory against the ongoing Russian invasion. The network serves as the nation’s primary real-time network for Ukrainian land, naval, and air forces, as it has replaced traditional radios that can be easily jammed or tracked. Since the start of the war more than four and a half years ago, Kyiv has relied on Starshield to pilot and guide short- and medium-range reconnaissance, strike, and interceptor drones.

More importantly, the system has been critical in helping Ukraine’s forces coordinate defenses against fast-moving incoming Russian threats, notably the Shahed-type drones and missiles. The service provides encrypted, high-assurance satellite communications via specialized user terminals and the Starlink low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation.

On Thursday, officials familiar with the matter alleged that the White House instructed the US Department of Defense to impose speed restrictions on the terminals used by Ukraine. According to the anonymous officials, President Donald Trump didn’t personally direct the restrictions, but another official within the administration put them in place after Trump expressed deep frustration that Ukraine continued to target Russia’s energy infrastructure, Reuters reported.

“If you tell me that Zelenskyy is again shooting at refineries, all he’s doing is making the world oil price higher…I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax, adding that there were other targets that Ukraine could strike. “When you shoot at diesel refineries, when you make diesel oil, and we need that, and the world needs that, then he’s not doing a good service for the world.”

It is unclear if the connectivity issue has been fully resolved. According to Ukrainian officials on Thursday, the terminals were working at top speeds and without restrictions. However, on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disputed those reports, alleging the service was still throttled.

Earlier in the week, Elon Musk, whose SpaceX built and launched the Starshield, claimed that the president and the Pentagon ultimately set the speed limits on the terminals. The Starshield system is owned and controlled by the US government, with operational limits and usage policy dictated by the US military and the president. The system was designed and developed for US national security and military agencies, including the US Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

In September 2022, Musk ordered a partial shutdown of Starlink coverage in Ukraine during a counteroffensive, and the blackout caused temporary communications drops lasting hours to days, blinded surveillance drones, and disrupted Ukrainian forces during an encirclement operation against Russian troops. There were reports at the time that Musk expressed concern that Ukrainian advances could lead to a severe escalation or Russian nuclear retaliation.

In a separate 2022 incident, Musk denied a Ukrainian request to extend Starlink coverage into Russian-occupied Crimea, foiling a planned attack on a naval port. The tech entrepreneur reportedly voiced concerns in that instance that supporting offensive strikes in occupied territory could violate US sanctions.

Lawmakers Are Trying to Find Answers About the Throttling Incident

As of Friday morning, the finger-pointing continued, with Congressional lawmakers now seeking to determine who gave the order to limit Starshield access in Ukraine. Late Thursday, four Republican senators, including two members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, joined their Democratic colleagues in pressing the White House for answers.

US Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to the Department of Defense’s Inspector General, Platte Moring III.

“We are particularly alarmed by incidents in which US diplomatic, military, and security personnel were unable to reach designated bunkers during Russian air raids, amid reported disruptions to intelligence-sharing and early-warning capabilities. We urgently request an Inspector General investigation into these incidents, including whether actions or decisions by the Department of Defense or its contractors contributed to these dangerous circumstances,” the senators wrote.

“To use Starshield and Starlink as intended, Ukraine needs access to unlimited speeds, which was its service arrangement prior to this reported restriction. We understand that at least some relevant services are provided through contractual arrangements administered by the US Space Force. Any restrictions on these capabilities, particularly without advance notification, raise serious questions about the Department of Defense’s contractual oversight and its responsibility to ensure continuity of essential services.”

Was Hegseth Involved in the Starshield Shutdown?

Lawmakers in both parties have further questions as to whether Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth or other high-ranking officials in the Pentagon were ultimately involved in the decision to cut Starshield access.

Hegseth has been among the administration officials who have suggested that wealthy European nations, notably NATO partners, should be financing Ukraine’s defense rather than the United States. The Pentagon head has also publicly stated that he believes full Ukrainian liberation of all of the Russian-occupied territory is unrealistic, and he has called for a negotiated peace settlement.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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