Reuters Exclusive: U.S. Government Repeatedly Asked Musk to Adjust Starlink Services
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Reuters, citing six former senior officials, revealed that both the Biden and Trump administrations asked Musk to switch Starlink on or off in specific countries — a private company is now an infrastructure chokepoint in great-power competition.
What did each administration ask for?
The Biden administration asked SpaceX to cut off Starlink access for Yemen's Houthi rebels and Lebanon's Hezbollah, while activating service inside Iran and Ukraine to support Ukrainian military operations.
The Trump administration, after U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran in 2025 and 2026, asked Musk to turn Starlink on inside Iran — this time to give anti-government protesters internet access.
This means → regardless of party or policy stance, both administrations treated Starlink as a geopolitical lever they could flip at will.
What actually happened with Ukraine's throttling?
Zelenskyy said last week that the military version of Starlink — Starshield — had been deliberately throttled, degrading drone combat performance. Civilian Starlink speeds also dropped.
Reuters previously reported the throttling order came from inside the White House. Musk responded that Starshield is owned and controlled by the U.S. government: "Any restrictions are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately by the President."
In plain terms = Musk is saying "don't blame me — the switch is in the White House." But the problem is exactly that: nobody outside can tell who is actually holding the switch.
How is this playing inside the U.S.?
Trump said he had not discussed the Ukraine Starlink issue with Musk and added, "If there's a problem, I'll fix it."
Democratic congressman Jason Crow warned publicly that U.S. reliance on SpaceX carries risk — "Unelected billionaires and private companies should not determine what is in the best interest of U.S. national security."
This reflects a deeper contradiction: the government outsourced critical military communications to a private company, then found itself increasingly exposed on public accountability.
Why are European allies alarmed?
Some European officials argue that Europe must develop its own military satellite communications, because no viable short-term alternative exists today.
A spokesperson for Ukraine's U.S. embassy said Kyiv's priority is "restoring normal service speeds as soon as possible, because our people's lives depend on it."
This means → Washington's heavy dependence on a single private firm, combined with Musk's unusual role in policy execution, is becoming a structural variable the transatlantic alliance can no longer avoid — even if no one wants to name it openly.
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