Pressure mounts on Trump administration over Starlink slowdown

Pressure increases on Trump administration over Starlink slowdown

Pressure is increasing on the Trump administration to restore and expand Ukraine’s access to Starshield satellite systems, as well as get to the bottom of who ordered the service slowed in the first place.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers – all of them staunch Ukraine allies – urged the administration not only to lift any speed restrictions related to the systems, but also to expand the Starshield contract to bolster Ukraine’s military capacity, even over Russian territory.

“Ukrainian forces depend on these services for command and control, intelligence sharing, battlefield communications, and the operation of unmanned systems,” the lawmakers wrote. “Any degradation in service, including reduced connection speeds, restricted geographic coverage, or interruptions in access, undermines Ukraine’s military effectiveness and provides Russian forces with an operational advantage that will extend the conflict and put more civilians in harm’s way.”

The letter was signed by three senators — Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) — and five members of the House: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).

The push is just the latest part of a broader outcry on Capitol Hill over reports that Starshield’s receivers quit working earlier this month for Ukrainian military equipment operating above a certain speed. Starshield is a specialized branch of the Starlink satellite systems run by SpaceX, which is owned by tech mogul Elon Musk.

Separately, three House Democrats representing Silicon Valley – Reps. Sam Liccardo, Jimmy Panetta and Ro Khanna – sent a letter to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, demanding the administration launch an investigation into the Starlink slowdown.

The three press for a briefing within two weeks outlining who was behind the decision to curtail Starshield speeds and how that was carried out.

Musk has said any decisions to restrict Starshield were not his and must have come from President Trump and the Pentagon. A recent report by The Wall Street Journal , however, contradicted that account, saying Musk was behind the restrictions. The report infuriated many lawmakers in the Capitol, who say decisions affecting the military capability of Ukraine — or any U.S. ally — should not be left in the hands of any single company.

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

How policy will affect defense and national security now and in the future:

Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have long captivated Americans — a majority of whom, recent polling suggests, believe the government is hiding information about the phenomena. And the debate has also made its way to Capitol Hill. In recent years, conversations surrounding UFOs, which the government now refers to as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), have heated up on both sides of the congressional political aisle. …

Ukraine’s military on Friday struggled with a still-slowed Starlink satellite system despite President Trump’s promise a day earlier that SpaceX owner Elon Musk had restored the service. Connections with Starshield — the military version of Starlink, a major tool for Ukraine to defend itself from missile and drone attacks from Russia — continued to fail in most of the country if drones flew faster than 100 mph, The Wall Street …

Two Air Force pilots safely ejected from their aircraft near San Antonio on Thursday because of potential issues with their landing gear. The pilots — who were part of a training program at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas — received indications their landing gear was unsafe and ejected at the recommendation of experts, a statement from the base said. The pilots were evaluated by local medical personnel. “Two pilots …

A federal appeals court on Friday ruled 2-1 that President Trump’s National Guard deployment to the Los Angeles area last year was unlawful. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit rejected Trump’s assertion that violent demonstrations in the city protesting his immigration crackdown justified him wresting control of the troops from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Although Trump’s deployment has ended, the decision caps …

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Texas congressman says he and family are safe after threat

Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) on Wednesday said he and his family are safe in the wake of an assassination threat from a 17-year-old. “I am grateful to the FBI and law enforcement for stopping this threat. My family and I are safe, and I remain focused on serving the people of Texas’ 3rd District,” Self …

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations will hold a discussion on From Regional Challenges to Alliances : Could Syria Become a New Security Partner in the Middle East?” at 11 a.m.

Atlantic Council will have a talk on “What to expect for Brazil after its runoff presidential election ,” at 1:30 p.m.

Stimson Center will discuss “ US–ROK Shipbuilding Cooperation : Taking Stock and Charting the Next Steps,” at 2 p.m.

US is prepared for long stand-off with Iran, says Trump envoy, Financial Times reports

Space Force scrambles as Musk’s SpaceX retires its major rocket, Politico reports

Hegseth bans defense personnel from insider trading with military secrets, The Washington Post reports

President Trump called on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) to “IMMEDIATELY resign” and accused her of using a fake name in a Truth Social post on Thursday … Read more

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit that aims to block certification of the Senate election in Alaska if incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan … Read more

Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill:

Check out The Hill’s Defense page for the latest coverage.

400 N. Capitol St. NW Suite 950, Washington, DC 20001