Responding to a question about the decision, Trump said, "I wasn't involved," while leaving the White House en route to a campaign rally in South Carolina. Pressed on whether Musk ordered the slowdown, he added, "I don't know who did it, but I was not involved."
In recent days, both Trump and Musk have issued criticisms of Zelenskyy. However, neither has specified the party responsible for the Starlink disruption.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Musk directed a slowdown and discussed the matter with Trump, citing U.S. officials and others it did not name.
Posting on X last week, Musk stated that Starshield systems are "owned and controlled by the US government" and that limits on speed or usage are "decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS." Starshield is the military-grade version of Starlink.
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A recent Starshield disruption left some Ukrainian drones unable to function, which in turn weakened defenses against Russian attacks. On Monday, Zelenskyy said his military still faces "speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield services in different parts of the front," and that "no explanation for either of these issues has been provided to Ukraine by the American side."
Earlier Wednesday, Zelenskyy said he and Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik "discussed in detail launching work on new satellite communication capabilities for our warriors." He added on X, "We will involve partners who have the capacity to provide support."
For your portfolio, mark the basics: Trump denied involvement, a journal report tied a speed reduction to Musk and said he discussed it with Trump, and Ukraine reports ongoing limits without an explanation. Musk says Starshield is under U.S. government ownership and control, with limits set by the U.S. military and ultimately the president. Any official clarification or procurement moves Zelenskyy hinted at with partners would be meaningful updates to track.
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