Senate Democrats ordered Elon Musk to preserve all records regarding the restriction of Ukraine’s Starlink and Starshield service. This directive follows reports that these restrictions limit Starshield operating speed to 161 kilometers per hour, which limits the ability of Ukraine to intercept Russian strike drones.
Demands for transparency
Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons wrote a letter demanding Musk preserve documentation regarding service shut-downs occurring from Oct. 13-24 and again on Nov. 12. They also want records from Sept. 1, including communications between Musk, SpaceX officials, the White House, and the U.S. Defense Department. The senators say the interference with Ukraine’s Starlink service "raises serious questions about the control SpaceX has" over national security matters and they denounce the company’s "opaque decision-making." These restrictions raise the "disturbing possibility that these vulnerabilities persist even within systems on which the U.S. government relies," according to the senators. SpaceX told Axios that reports of renewed speed caps are false and that "there has been no change."
Investigation timeline
Musk previously claimed he was not responsible for the decision to restrict service after the October disruption, despite reports that he proposed the plan to President Donald Trump while Trump pressured Kyiv to pause attacks on Russian oil refineries. Musk also alleged that Ukraine violated Starlink terms of service, a claim Kyiv denied. Following their victory in the U.S. midterm elections earlier this month, Democrats plan to launch an investigation into the White House handling of the war and Musk’s involvement in January 2027. The senators require SpaceX to confirm compliance with their demands and respond to oversight inquiries by Nov. 30.
