The order to limit Starshield service for Ukraine came from inside the White House, according to sources cited by Reuters

The White House reportedly instructed the Pentagon to limit the operation of the Starshield military satellite communications system, used by the Ukrainian army to control drones and for communications at the front, according to American and Western officials cited by Reuters. The measure was reportedly taken amid pressure exerted by the Trump administration on Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries.

Reuters' sources did not specify who within the White House ordered the restriction or who implemented it. A senior American official denied that Donald Trump had requested the measure, but the White House did not clarify whether the order had come from other administration representatives.

Starshield terminals temporarily ceased operating at high speeds, affecting Ukrainian drones used for attacks and for intercepting Russian Shahed aircraft. According to a Ukrainian source, the systems began operating again, but only at speeds of approximately 160 kilometers per hour. Kyiv requested explanations from the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon.

Starshield is the military version of the Starlink infrastructure, developed by SpaceX for the US government. Elon Musk stated that the system is controlled by US authorities, and that any restriction is decided by the US military or the president.