Trump Denies Starlink Slowdown; Ukraine Skeptical

President Trump denied any U.S. involvement in the slowdown of a satellite system vital to Ukraine's war effort, saying "It wasn't us" and claiming he did not know who was responsible. Ukrainian officials remain skeptical, deepening mistrust between Kyiv and Washington. The denial follows a Reuters report that the order to throttle the system came from inside the White House. The system, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, includes Starlink and Starshield, both reportedly restricted for 24 hours, hampering Ukraine's ability to shoot down Russian drones. Ukrainian officials say their contacts at SpaceX confirm White House involvement, and Musk has stated the U.S. government controls such decisions. The slowdown occurred after Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries and President Zelensky's criticism of Trump's diesel deal with Russia. Zelensky said speed was reduced, not fully restored, and that it hindered interception of Russian drones, calling the situation "painful and frustrating."