The key facts

  • Rubio: neither Trump nor anyone in the US system requested changes to Starlink
  • WSJ reported that Musk limited Starlink's speed, making some Ukrainian drones nearly useless
  • Musk said limits are set by the US military and the president; Trump said he wants to find out who is responsible

Denial of US involvement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, during a three-day visit to Mumbai, rejected the American government's involvement in the reported slowdown of Starlink used by Ukraine in its war with Russia. According to him, Starlink is a private company operating under contractual terms, and the state cannot dictate to it what decisions to make. 'I can say with confidence: neither the US president nor anyone in our system has ever requested changes to this system, and we repeat this constantly,' Rubio said.

Wall Street Journal report and Musk's reaction

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing American officials, that SpaceX founder Elon Musk ordered the speed of the military version of Starlink (Starshield), used by Ukrainian forces, to be limited, as a result of which some military drones became practically useless. A few hours after the information became public, Musk wrote on X that 'any limits on speed or usage are set by the US military and ultimately the president.'

Position of Trump and the Pentagon

President Donald Trump said to journalists on Monday that he does not know who is responsible for the Starlink slowdown, adding: 'but I would like to find out.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that 'we have not revoked anything,' but that 'Starlink has the ability to make decisions regarding its terms of service.'

Statements on national security and aid to Ukraine

When asked whether the national security adviser should have been warned in advance, given that the service is 'vital national security infrastructure for Ukraine,' Rubio replied that he would not comment on what the US did or did not know. He called inaccurate the reports that the US government allegedly deprived Ukraine of what is necessary for defense, and added that statements by Ukrainian leaders on this matter are also inaccurate. According to him, 'there was no prior knowledge,' and Trump 'has nothing to do with the decisions of Starlink, Starshield and Mr. Musk.' At the same time, Rubio warned that the Trump administration 'will no longer take a defensive position on this topic,' since 'without US assistance, including the Trump administration, Ukraine would not exist today as a sovereign state.' He also clarified that the American military has a contract with SpaceX for Starshield, but 'that is a different matter,' as it is a procurement for their own use.