Trump denies ordering restrictions on Ukraine's Starshield access

US President Donald Trump said on Friday, 16 October, that he did not order any restriction of Ukraine's access to Starshield, a satellite technology from the company SpaceX. Ukraine's military uses the system for battlefield communications and to control interceptor drones, so any limits affect its defence in the war with Russia. Trump's remarks to journalists were quoted by Bloomberg.

Trump added that he does not think American billionaire Elon Musk was behind it. According to the president, he does not know whether anyone in particular did it, and as he understands it, the situation is the same as it has always been.

What came before

Reuters previously reported that the order to restrict Starshield came directly from the White House. Axios, in turn, reported that the White House denied any involvement in limiting the Starlink satellite system's operation in Ukraine, saying it does not control SpaceX.

Thom Tillis, a Republican US senator, is seeking an investigation into the Pentagon's actions over the problems that Ukraine's Armed Forces have encountered with Starlink satellite communications systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Elon Musk's decision to restrict Starlink's functionality for Ukraine was a mistake that would lead to human losses.