The Telegraph reports Elon Musk proposed restricting Starlink speeds for Ukrainian forces and President Trump agreed. Both leaders have publicly denied responsibility for the Oct. 14 disruption.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk approached U.S. President Donald Trump with the idea of restricting Starlink speeds for Ukrainian forces, according to a report by The Telegraph published on Oct. 16. The report, citing four sources familiar with the matter, states that Trump "agreed" to the proposal, which led to the Pentagon implementing speed caps on the Starshield service on Oct. 14.
The report contradicts public statements made by both Musk and Trump following the disruption. On Oct. 14, Musk wrote on his social media platform X that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government" and that "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately (the president)."
On Oct. 16, Trump stated he did not think either he or Musk was responsible for the slowdown. "I don’t know," Trump said when asked who gave the order. "I am not sure that it ever came down." He added, "It wasn’t us."
However, a senior source told The Telegraph that after the disruption caused chaos, Musk was concerned about negative consumer reactions in Europe. "He tweeted out that he was innocent and that it was the U.S. administration that did it," the source said. "The reality is that they were both in it." This account was reportedly confirmed by two Ukrainian sources and a high-ranking European official.
The speed restrictions on Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink, disrupted battlefield operations, including mid-range drone strikes and air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the consequences during an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on Oct. 16.
"We use Starlink to intercept jet-powered Shaheds that strike our civilians and kill our families," Zelensky said. He noted that the restrictions reduced connectivity for some systems to around 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph), preventing the interception of certain high-speed Russian drones.
"When the speed was reduced, we were unable to intercept some of the jet-powered Shaheds. We were unable to use a tool to protect civilians," Zelensky said. He also stated that the restrictions affected the delivery of food and water to troops in areas under constant Russian drone surveillance.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions between Kyiv and Washington, particularly regarding Trump’s demand that Ukraine halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. Reuters reported on Oct. 15 that the order to restrict Starshield came from within the White House, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official. The White House stated no such request was made by the president but did not address whether others were involved.
A bipartisan group of nine U.S. Senators wrote to the Pentagon Inspector General on Oct. 15 requesting an investigation. The letter, signed by Senators including Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), noted that the disrupted service endangered American diplomatic and security personnel by preventing them from receiving alerts during Russian air raids.
"Given the potentially deadly consequences, these incidents require immediate investigation," the Senators wrote. They also requested the preservation of communications between the Department of Defense, SpaceX, and other relevant agencies.
The report suggests a direct link between a private technology executive and a presidential decision affecting military operations in an active war zone. If confirmed, it raises questions about the control of critical infrastructure used by allied forces and the transparency of decision-making processes within the U.S. government regarding military-grade satellite services. The lack of a clear public explanation from the Pentagon or the White House has intensified scrutiny over the incident's origins and its impact on civilian safety in Ukraine.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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