Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has attracted the attention of U.S. governments at various times. New information shows that the administrations of Joe Biden and Donald Trump have asked Musk to activate or deactivate Starlink services in different countries. These requests have been particularly related to Iran and Ukraine, two countries with specific political and military situations.
Requests from the Biden and Trump Administrations
During Joe Biden's presidency, the requests included shutting down Starlink services to prevent Iranian proxy groups from using them in Yemen and Lebanon. Additionally, there have been requests to activate these services to provide internet access within Iran and Ukraine to support Ukrainian military personnel. In this context, the Trump administration also asked Musk to activate these services in Iran following the joint U.S. and Israeli attacks in 2025 and 2026.
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Consequences of Starshield Restrictions for Ukraine
Recent restrictions on Starshield services for Ukraine, which is the military version of Starlink, have been intentionally imposed, according to Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, and have affected the performance of the country's military drones. Zelensky also noted that the speed of Starlink services has decreased, which negatively impacts Ukraine's defense against Russian missile attacks.
This comes as some European officials have concluded that Europe needs to develop its military satellite communication capabilities, as there are no practical short-term alternatives available.
Washington has reacted to the restrictions imposed on Ukraine, with congressional representatives including Jason Crow, a Democratic representative, calling for more clarity regarding the recent changes in Ukraine's satellite services. He stated that "unelected billionaires and private companies should not decide what is in the interest of U.S. national security."
For Ukraine, Starlink internet services are considered a lifeline for communications at the front lines. These services particularly help Ukrainian military forces maintain their communications and effectively engage in military operations during wartime.
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