Trump denies ordering restrictions on Starlink's military version in Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump has denied ordering restrictions on Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite communications system, in Ukraine. Ukraine's army relies on the system for front-line communications, which is why the question of who imposed limits matters in the context of the war.

"Well, I don't know if it was anybody, because it wasn't me. And I don't think it was Elon," Trump said, referring to businessman Elon Musk, whose company provides Starlink. The president said he had checked that morning and everything was working as usual. He added that he was not even sure Starlink had stopped working in Ukraine.

What came before

On October 14, Ukrainian military personnel reported restrictions on their Starlink satellite terminals, specifically the military Starshield version. The restrictions caused some Ukrainian military missions to fail.

The next day, a senior U.S. administration official told Axios that the White House had nothing to do with the restrictions on Starlink in Ukraine. Sources cited by the Reuters news agency, however, said the White House had ordered restrictions on Starshield. They did not specify who gave the order.

The conflicting accounts of where the restrictions originated remain unresolved.