Trump asks Musk to lift Starshield restrictions in Ukraine

President Donald Trump called Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, to ask him to lift restrictions on the Starshield satellite internet service in Ukraine, according to The New York Times, citing anonymous government sources. Ukraine relies on Starshield for frontline communications and drone operations. The network malfunctioned last week, limiting drone speeds, and Ukrainian forces reportedly faced renewed issues on Monday. Trump confirmed Thursday that the restrictions have been lifted but declined to specify whether his call with Musk was the cause. The responsibility for the restrictions remains unclear. Musk blamed the U.S. government, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied any involvement, stating the administration does not direct private companies and was not informed of new limits.