President Donald Trump said he doesn’t know who ordered Starshield to be throttled in Ukraine, a move which temporarily wrought havoc.
Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, Trump was asked who ordered Starshield, SpaceX‘s military service, to be shut down. The president said he wasn’t sure, but that it wasn’t him.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
“Well, I don’t know if it was anybody. It wasn’t me. And I don’t think it was Elon [Musk] either. And from what I understand, it’s the same as it’s always been,” he said.
Scandal erupted earlier this week after Ukrainian officials said it began having problems with Starshield, with terminals moving at speeds above 100 mph limited. They said the decreased capability harmed Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian drone and missile attacks, while also limiting its medium-range drone campaign against Russian targets.
On Thursday, sources told Reuters that the order to throttle Starshield came from the White House. Four sources told the Telegraph on Friday that the move was initially suggested by Musk, but decided by Trump. It came after Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky began publicly feuding over Ukrainian strikes on Russian diesel targets.
On Friday, a bipartisan group of senators — Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) — sent a letter to the Department of War’s Office of Inspector General, calling for an investigation into the disruption of Starshield services.
RUSSIA LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKES ACROSS UKRAINE AFTER REPORT CLAIMS CALL TO THROTTLE STARSHIELD CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
“We are particularly alarmed by incidents in which U.S. diplomatic, military, and security personnel were unable to reach designated bunkers during Russian air raids, amid reported disruptions to intelligence-sharing and early-warning capabilities,” the senators wrote. “We urgently request an Inspector General investigation into these incidents, including whether actions or decisions by the Department of Defense or its contractors contributed to these dangerous circumstances.”
“The Office of Inspector General has received the letter and we are in the process of preparing a response,” a spokesperson for the inspector general’s office told the Washington Examiner.
Mike Brest contributed to this report.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
