Trump denies ordering Starlink slowdown in Ukraine
U.S. President says he had no role in slowing satellite service used by Ukraine
Key facts
- Trump denied ordering the Starlink slowdown, according to CNBC.
- The slowdown affected Starshield, the military‑grade version of Starlink, weakening Ukrainian drone defenses, according to CNBC.
- Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said his forces face speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield, according to CNBC.
- No explanation for the slowdown was provided to Ukraine by the American side, according to Zelenskyy.
According to CNBC, President Donald Trump said he had nothing to do with the slowdown of SpaceX's Starlink in Ukraine.
Trump made the statement while leaving the White House for a campaign rally in South Carolina, according to CNBC.
The slowdown, reported by CNBC, disrupted Starshield, the military‑grade version of Starlink, rendering some Ukrainian drones ineffective, according to CNBC.
The disruption weakened defenses against Russian attacks, according to CNBC.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his military still faces speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield services in different parts of the front, according to CNBC.
Zelenskyy added that no explanation had been provided by the American side, according to CNBC.
The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that Elon Musk ordered the slowdown and discussed it with Trump, according to CNBC.
Musk said on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government and that any speed limits are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the President, according to CNBC.
Senator John Cornyn said he does not believe Musk would throttle Starlink without at least the acquiescence of the White House, according to CNBC.
Cornyn made the comment on CNBC's 'Squawk Box', according to CNBC.
Context
Starshield is the military‑grade version of Starlink, according to CNBC.The service is used by Ukraine to support its defense against Russian attacks, according to CNBC.The slowdown has led to speed restrictions on the satellite network, according to CNBC.
How outlets headlined it
How this was made
Compiled by our AI newsroom from 2 independent outlets, checked by a separate AI editor against the sources. Only claims found in the sources are reported. Spot an error? Every source is linked below.
Correction or source request? simoneggert16@gmail.com
Open reader debate: Factual contributions and additions are synchronized directly in real time across all readers.
Loading contributions from cloud server…
Reader Discussion & Community Notes