Trump Officials Clash Over Ukraine's Starshield Access Restrictions

Recent restrictions on Ukraine's access to SpaceX's Starshield satellite system have sparked conflicting statements from Trump administration officials, with President Donald Trump asserting Thursday the service is fully restored. The sudden limits disrupted Ukrainian drone operations and communications, alarming military commanders and Kyiv's allies. Officials have offered contradictory accounts of who ordered the throttling. Trump denies involvement, Vice President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Elon Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth deny administration involvement. Musk claims Starshield is government-controlled, directing questions to the Pentagon. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says restrictions remain in parts of the front and called the episode a "planned operation." He stated Rubio promised to work on "unblocking" the slowdown, which has raised concerns among Russia hawks in Congress about accountability and U.S. policy direction.