Musk and Trump Agreed to Slow Starlink in Ukraine, Sources Say

Elon Musk proposed slowing down Starlink in Ukraine to President Donald Trump, a move that hampered Ukraine's drone defenses, according to four sources. Trump reportedly agreed, leading the Pentagon to execute the slowdown on the military-grade Starshield system. The speed cap limited drones to around 160km/h, making it difficult to intercept Russian jet-powered drones traveling at double that speed. Musk denied responsibility, blaming the White House, but sources say both were involved. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the slowdown a "very dangerous and unpleasant surprise," though signals were being restored by Friday. This is not the first time Musk has faced accusations of limiting Starlink use to Ukraine's detriment, including a 2023 refusal to support drone attacks on Crimea. Poland's foreign minister warned Musk that European customers are "watching you," while the EU plans to have its own Starlink replacement, Iris2, operational by 2030.