US Officials Say Musk Controls Starlink Access Following Disruption of Ukraine Operations

Decisions regarding Ukraine's access to Starlink satellite services rest entirely with SpaceX and Chief Executive Elon Musk rather than the White House, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. The statements follow disclosures that Musk ordered a slowdown of military-grade Starlink service on October 14, which crippled Ukrainian drone operations and defense against missile strikes. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and reports suggested White House involvement, administration officials denied issuing orders. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth reaffirmed that network access remains a commercial decision governed by SpaceX's terms of service.