Trump denies involvement in Starlink slowdown affecting Ukraine
President Donald Trump said he was not involved in the recent reduction of Starlink service speeds in Ukraine and did not know who ordered the change.
President Donald Trump told a reporter on Wednesday that he had no role in the recent reduction of SpaceX's Starlink service speeds in Ukraine and that he did not know who ordered the slowdown. The comment came after a report in The Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed officials, said Elon Musk had directed the speed cap and had discussed it with Trump.
When asked if Musk was responsible, Trump replied, "I don't know who did it, but I was not involved." He made the remarks as he left the White House for a campaign rally in South Carolina.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the slowdown has limited the performance of Starlink and its military-grade version, Starshield, on parts of the front line, and that the United States has not provided an explanation. Musk previously posted on X that Starshield systems are owned by the U.S. government and that any speed limits are decided by the U.S. military and the president.
Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" that he does not believe Musk would impose a throttle without at least the acquiescence of the White House.