WASHINGTON, D.C. – There’s growing questions over who made the call to slow down a satellite communications system used by the Ukrainian military Which has made them more vulnerable to Russian attacks. Some congressional members on both sides of the aisle are looking for answers.
Ukraine’s military uses the satellite internet network, known as Starshield. We’re told that satellite service is used for drone operations and combatting Russian attacks, but last week Ukraine said the speed of the service slowed significantly.
Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX developed Starshield, said last week that he licenses Starshield’s technology to the US government. He shared on X: “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS” an acronym for President of the United States.
A Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday claims people familiar with the matter state it was Musk himself who was the one who ordered the slowdown.
The Trump administration is not taking responsibility.
“I was not involved,” the President said on Wednesday. A reporter followed up and asked if Musk ordered it. “I don’t know who did it, but I was not involved,” responded the President.
“Well, I think that fundamentally, Elon Musk runs a private corporation, and I think it’s completely understandable that he doesn’t want to get in the middle of what is a war between two state actors without the United States government effectively directing him on what to do,” said Vice President JD Vance. “So, I don’t think this is about Elon. I think it’s fundamentally what is America’s policy in Ukraine and Russia going to be.”
The confusion over who gave the orders and why has lawmakers from both sides of the aisle raising the alarm and some calling for an investigation.
Senate Democrats on the Foreign Relations Committee are asking SpaceX about restrictions to Starlink and Starshield technologies.
Senator Thom Tillis (R- NC) shared on social media last week: “I’m not holding my breath for the Defense Secretary Hegseth to offer transparency, so we’ll be asking the DOD Inspector General to initiate an investigation and report back to Congress and the American people.” He also said: “At best, this was an unacceptable error or lapse, and at worst a conscience decision to clear the field for a russian attack.”
