Trump Denies Responsibility for Ukraine Starlink Satellite Disruptions

US President Donald Trump denies that he or Elon Musk caused Starlink disruptions affecting Ukrainian military operations against Russia. Read more on Policy...

Editorial Desk

October 17, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — United States President Donald Trump asserted on Friday that neither he nor technology executive Elon Musk bore responsibility for a reduction in satellite internet access that disrupted Ukrainian military operations against Russia.

The service restrictions resulted in dropped internet speeds and severed communication links between frontline units and their command headquarters.

While departing the White House for a scheduled journey to Georgia, Trump addressed reporters to reject any notion that his administration or the SpaceX founder engineered the limitation of Kyiv’s satellite capabilities.

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The President explicitly stated that he did not order any constraints on SpaceX satellite technology utilized by Ukrainian forces, maintaining his belief that Musk took no such action either.

The statements follow earlier remarks from SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk on Wednesday, where the billionaire contended that the United States government and President Trump bore responsibility for restrictions placed on the military-grade Starlink network in Ukraine.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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