Trump says White House didn't order Starlink restrictions in Ukraine

Key points

• Trump denied the White House ordered restrictions on Starlink services for Ukraine's armed forces.
• Ukrainian officials said SpaceX restricted Starshield use, impeding military operations and cutting connectivity above 160 km/h.
• Musk said Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government.

President Donald Trump on Friday denied that the White House had ordered restrictions this week on Starlink satellite internet services provided to Ukraine's armed forces. Ukrainian officials on Tuesday and Wednesday said SpaceX had restricted use of Starshield, a military-grade version of Starlink, impeding some military operations and its ability to defend civilians against intensifying attacks by Russia.

Musk pinned responsibility for any restrictions on the U.S. government and President Trump, writing on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Reporters in Washington, D.C., on Friday asked Trump who was responsible for pausing access for the Ukrainian military.

What officials said

Trump said, "Well, I don't know if it was anybody because it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon," adding that from what he understands, it's the same as it's always been. Serhii Beskrestnov, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote in a post on Telegram this week that, "Our armed forces did not receive a warning about these restrictions, and this led to the failure of a number of missions."

Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland's deputy prime minister, criticized Musk on X about the restrictions. Poland has purchased Starlink services for Ukraine from SpaceX. He wrote, "Hey, @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again?" and "As your European customers, we are watching you."

Well, I don't know if it was anybody because it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon

— Donald Trump

Impact and context

Ukrainian forces have long relied on Starlink and Starshield to enable data gathering by their autonomous drones and for other communications. The restrictions cut off connectivity for drones or other vehicles traveling above 160 kilometers per hour.

Musk is an advisor to the Pentagon on technology through his role in the recently announced Project Meridian. Musk and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. SpaceX shares are down about 11% this week. The company is scheduled to report quarterly results on Tuesday.