Senate Democrats Tell Musk to Keep Starlink Records on Ukraine Shutdowns

Senate Democrats have ordered SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to preserve all records connected to restrictions on Ukraine's Starlink and Starshield service, the Wall Street Journal reported on Nov. 13, citing a letter it reviewed. The demand covers documentation of service shutdowns between Oct. 13 and Oct. 24, and again on Nov. 12. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons signed the letter.

The restrictions cap Starshield's operating speed at 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour), which limits Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian strike drones. Shaheen and Coons wrote that the October and November restrictions raise the disturbing possibility that these vulnerabilities persist even within systems on which the U.S. government relies. They also said the interference raises serious questions about the control SpaceX has over national security matters, and slammed the company's opaque decision-making.

The letter asks SpaceX for records going back to Sept. 1, including any communications about Ukraine's Starlink and Starshield service, plus exchanges between Musk, SpaceX officials, the White House and the U.S. Defense Department. SpaceX must confirm compliance and answer oversight inquiries by Nov. 30.

SpaceX has pushed back. The company told Axios that President Volodymyr Zelensky's reports of renewed speed caps are false, saying there has been no change. After the extended October Starshield disruption, Musk claimed he was not responsible for the decision to restrict Ukraine's service, despite reporting that he proposed the plan to U.S. President Donald Trump, who was pressuring Kyiv to pause attacks on Russian oil refineries. Musk then alleged Ukraine had violated Starlink's terms of service, a claim Kyiv denies.

Democrats in Congress, fresh off a sweeping victory in the November midterm elections, plan to open an investigation in January 2027 into the White House's handling of the war in Ukraine and Musk's involvement.