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Trump reportedly called Musk to lift Starshield speed limits on Ukraine
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In brief
U.S. President Donald Trump telephoned SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and asked him to lift speed restrictions on Starshield, the military-grade satellite network Ukraine uses for drones and battlefield communications, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials. The service began running closer to normal speeds the next day, though Ukrainian officials said full capacity had not yet been restored.
President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions that had capped the speed of Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite network used by Ukraine's armed forces, the Wall Street Journal reported on October 22, 2026, citing U.S. officials. Trump reportedly told Musk he was frustrated that the system's speeds remained limited.
Within a day of the call, the Starshield connection was "working more normally," U.S. and Ukrainian officials told the Journal. Some Ukrainian officials said speeds had increased but that the system had not been restored to its full, unrestricted capacity.
What Starlink and Starshield do for Ukraine
Starlink is SpaceX's commercial satellite internet service, delivered through a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites. Starshield is a military-grade variant with added security features that the U.S. government has licensed for use by Ukraine and other partners, according to CBS News. Ukraine's military uses the network to guide long-range drones, connect battlefield sensors and run air-defense and attack operations against Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials said that around October 14, 2026, drone units noticed their unmanned aircraft could reach only roughly half their previous speeds, with some reports citing a cap near 90 km/h compared with Starshield's normal capability above 160 km/h, according to CBS News.
Conflicting accounts of who ordered the slowdown
Responsibility for the original restriction has been disputed. The Telegraph reported on October 16, citing sources, that Musk himself proposed restricting Starlink speeds for Ukrainian forces and that Trump agreed, with one source telling the paper "the reality is that they were both in it," according to Kyiv Independent's account of the report. Reuters separately reported on October 15 that the restriction order came from within the White House, without identifying who issued it, according to Kyiv Independent.
Musk has publicly placed responsibility on the U.S. government, writing on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government and that decisions on speed or usage limits rest with the U.S. military and ultimately the president. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that decisions on Ukraine's access were up to SpaceX and Musk, not the White House, according to The Moscow Times. Trump has said he does not believe either he or Musk was responsible for the original slowdown.
I don't want to comment on it, whether I called or whether somebody else called, doesn't make any difference, I guess. The bottom line — he put it back.
Where things stand
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the connection speed had not been fully restored, and that he was told by Rubio the State Department was working to restore full Starlink and Starshield connectivity. Zelensky said he hoped for further talks with Rubio on the matter.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2026 | Ukrainian drone units report Starshield speeds capped, hampering operations |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Reuters reports the restriction order came from within the White House, per Kyiv Independent |
| Oct 16, 2026 | The Telegraph reports Musk proposed the restriction to Trump, who agreed |
| Oct 21-22, 2026 | Zelensky says speeds not fully restored; cites Rubio's assurance of restoration efforts |
| Oct 22, 2026 | WSJ reports Trump called Musk asking him to lift the restriction; service runs closer to normal |
Neither the White House nor SpaceX has given a detailed, on-the-record account reconciling the different versions of who ordered the original slowdown or why. The dispute has unfolded alongside broader strains between the Trump administration and Kyiv over the direction of U.S. support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia.
Questions
- What is Starshield and how is it different from Starlink?
- Starshield is a military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet network, built with additional security features and licensed by the U.S. government for use by Ukraine and other partners, according to CBS News. Standard Starlink serves commercial and civilian users, while Starshield supports military operations including drone guidance.
- Did Trump personally order the Starlink restrictions on Ukraine?
- Accounts conflict. The Telegraph reported Musk proposed the restriction and Trump agreed to it, while Reuters reported the order came from within the White House without naming who issued it. Trump has said he does not believe he or Musk was responsible, and a senior U.S. official denied Trump personally requested it, according to Kyiv Independent.
- Has Starlink service in Ukraine been fully restored?
- As of October 21-22, 2026, Ukrainian officials including President Zelensky said speeds had increased after Trump's call to Musk but had not been fully restored to normal capacity, per the Wall Street Journal and The Moscow Times.
- How did the speed restriction affect Ukraine's military?
- Ukrainian officials said capped speeds made attack and interceptor drones unable to operate at full effectiveness, reducing the ability to strike Russian logistics and command targets and to intercept Russian attack drones, according to CBS News.
- Who is responsible for deciding Starshield's speed limits, according to Musk?
- Musk has said on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government and that limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the president, not by SpaceX.
Sources
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