Musk proposed slowing Starlink in Ukraine; Trump agreed, Pentagon restricted service

SpaceX founder Elon Musk approached US President Donald Trump with a proposal to slow down Starlink operations in Ukraine, according to reporting by The Daily Telegraph citing four sources familiar with the discussions. Trump agreed to the proposal, which led the Pentagon to implement restrictions on Starshield, the military version of the satellite communications network.

On October 14, Ukrainian military personnel reported disruptions to Starshield operations that affected some military missions. The restrictions occurred amid rising tension between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Starshield service to Ukrainian forces was restored by the morning of October 15.

Musk subsequently stated on X (formerly Twitter) that he was not responsible for the restrictions, asserting that "any speed or volume limitations are determined by the US military and, ultimately, the US president." Trump also denied ordering the restrictions when questioned by journalists, stating "I don't know who it could have been, because it wasn't me. And I don't think it was Elon [Musk]." According to Telegraph sources, Musk's public denial may have been motivated by concern over negative consumer reaction in Europe.

The Pentagon's authority over Starshield aligns with its role as the military overseer of the system. The incident occurred as Trump announced a hold on a sweeping sanctions package against Russia and publicly criticized Zelenskyy.