US Administrations Repeatedly Asked Musk to Alter Starlink Access, Reuters Reports

Former officials describe requests involving several countries

The Biden and Trump administrations repeatedly asked Elon Musk’s SpaceX to switch Starlink service on or off in different countries, according to six former senior US officials cited anonymously by Reuters.

The former officials said Biden-era requests included shutting off service to prevent Iran-linked groups in Yemen and Lebanon from using Starlink, while also seeking expanded access in Ukraine to support its military. A former senior Trump official and another person familiar with the matter told Reuters that the Trump administration asked Musk to make Starlink available in Iran after US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026, with the aim of supporting internet access and communications for protesters.

Reuters said the accounts were being reported for the first time and that the officials spoke on condition of anonymity. The report did not establish that every requested service change occurred. Neither the Trump administration nor SpaceX publicly confirmed that terminals were activated in Iran.

Ukraine access has become a public dispute

Ukraine has used Starlink for frontline communications and some military activities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said access to Starshield, SpaceX’s military system, had been intentionally limited and that Starlink speeds had been reduced, affecting military drones. The White House acknowledged a slowdown but did not say whether it ordered it. SpaceX did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

In a separate official account, Zelenskyy said he discussed Starlink and Starshield with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said the service needed to be restored. The episode has renewed debate in Europe and the United States about reliance on a private company for strategically important communications.

Sources

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/us-has-years-asked-musk-alter-starlink-service-ukraine-middle-east-sources-say-2026-10-24/

https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/early-warning-of-russian-ballistic-missile-attacks-and-the-situ-106965