US administrations repeatedly asked SpaceX to change Starlink access, Reuters reports
Former US officials described requests involving Ukraine, Iran, Lebanon and Yemen. The account comes as Ukraine reports continuing problems with its military satellite service.
Successive US administrations repeatedly asked SpaceX to switch Starlink service on or off in countries including Ukraine and Iran, Reuters reported on October 23, citing six former senior US officials. The newly reported requests show how governments have sought to use the satellite network during conflicts and protests, as Ukraine reports continuing problems with its military service.
Requests during conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East
Under President Joe Biden, US officials asked SpaceX to expand Starlink use for Ukraine's military soon after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, two former officials told Reuters. Four former officials said Biden-era requests also sought to cut off service to prevent Iranian proxy militias in Yemen and Lebanon from using the network, and to activate it in Iran and Ukraine.
In October 2023, during fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, US intelligence officials raised concerns that people linked to Hezbollah might have obtained Starlink terminals, Reuters reported. Officials voiced similar concerns about the Houthis in Yemen in 2024. The administration asked SpaceX to identify and disable the terminals; at least some were deactivated, according to two former officials.
One former official told Reuters that the Biden administration requested Starlink access in Iran during protests that began in September 2022 after Mahsa Amini's death. The official said terminals entered Iran with administration help but gave no number. Reuters also reported that the Trump administration asked Musk to make service available in Iran after US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026, aiming to support communications for anti-government protesters. Neither that administration nor SpaceX had publicly confirmed that the terminals discussed after those strikes were activated.
The people describing the requests to Reuters spoke anonymously. In a 2024 submission to the US Commerce Department, SpaceX said it works with US agencies on export authorisations and safeguards its technology in support of US national security and foreign policy objectives.
Ukraine reports continuing Starshield problems
The historical requests have emerged amid a current dispute over Ukraine's access. CNBC reported that Ukrainian officials said SpaceX's Starshield service, its military offering, was still causing problems on Friday, October 23. Officials said drones travelling above 100 mph lost their connections, disrupting some missions. Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, told CNBC that Ukraine was losing drones amid the restrictions. The full extent and duration of the disruption were not clear.
President Donald Trump said Friday that he had not spoken with Musk about Ukraine's service and had heard it was fixed, CNBC reported. He said he would speak with Musk if it was not. His account came despite the continuing problems reported by Ukrainian officials.
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Sources and context
- Exclusive-US has for years asked Musk to alter Starlink service in Ukraine, Middle East, sources sayReuters, republished by Al-Monitor
- Musk's SpaceX is still restricting Starlink in Ukraine and the toll is risingCNBC
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.
