U.S. Official Says Trump Did Not Request Limits on Ukraine’s Starshield

A senior U.S. official said President Donald Trump did not request limits on Ukraine’s Starshield service, while other officials said an instruction to slow it came from inside the White House.

On Thursday, Oct. 15, the senior official said, “No such request was ever made by the president.” Two U.S. officials and a Western official briefed on the matter said Defense Department leaders received a message that service for Ukraine’s military should be slowed.

They did not identify who issued or carried out the instruction. The White House did not answer whether another administration official made the request.

On Thursday, nine senators from both parties sought a Defense Department inspector general investigation into whether U.S. officials ordered, approved or had prior knowledge of changes to Starlink or Starshield service. The senators wrote, “To use Starshield and Starlink as intended, Ukraine needs access to unlimited speeds.”

SpaceX developed Starshield for government and national security customers, using the Starlink satellite constellation as its backbone. Ukrainian officials have said Starshield supports battlefield communications and drone operations. The denial follows Elon Musk’s earlier comments on who decides Starshield limits affecting Ukraine.