NRT briefing
Elon Musk points to Trump for Starshield throttling in Ukraine that Zelensky warns will cost lives
Based on reporting by New York Post.
The Brief
Elon Musk on Wednesday indicated the Trump administration, not SpaceX, caused the throttling of Starshield, a military version of Starlink, in Ukraine, a slowdown that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned will cost lives. Initially, Ukrainian and European officials blamed Musk.
"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government," Musk said. "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS." He added that Starlink, a commercial service, is limited to civilian or defensive activities.
Ukraine relies on Starshield for drone attacks and logistics. Ukrainian officials said the slowdown undermined active operations. By 2 pm ET, Ukraine's defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced that connectivity at speeds up to 160 km/h was being restored, but said removing the speed limit entirely is critical.
Zelensky told "Piers Morgan Uncensored," "It's a big mistake. People will die." The slowdown followed President Trump's team faulting Ukraine for high diesel prices through strikes on Russian refineries. A Ukrainian source noted the Pentagon contracts with SpaceX for Starshield, but the contract does not establish who has authority over operational restrictions. The Post contacted the White House and Pentagon for comment.