Biden and Trump urge Musk to control Starlink. Why?

JAKARTA - The United States (US) government under Joe Biden and Donald Trump has repeatedly asked Elon Musk's SpaceX to activate or restrict its Starlink satellite services in several countries in line with US national security and foreign policy interests.

According to Reuters , six former senior US officials said the Biden administration had asked SpaceX to disable Starlink services allegedly used by Houthi militants in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Conversely, the government also asked the company to expand its services to support the Ukrainian military following Russia's invasion in 2022.

The Biden administration also asked SpaceX to activate Starlink in Iran during protests in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini.

The Trump administration took similar steps following US-Israeli attacks on Iran in June 2025 and February 2026, with the aim of expanding internet access for anti-government protesters.

However, neither the US government nor SpaceX has publicly confirmed that the terminals sent to Iran were activated.

The requests have come under renewed scrutiny following restrictions on the Ukrainian military's access to SpaceX satellite services in October 2026.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said restrictions on Starshield, SpaceX's satellite service for military use, had disrupted the performance of Ukrainian drones.

Starlink speeds were also reportedly reduced, despite the service supporting troop communications and defences against Russian missile attacks.

Reuters previously reported that the order to restrict Starshield originated within the White House. The Trump administration acknowledged the service slowdown but has yet to confirm whether it issued the order.

Musk stated on social media that control of Starshield rests with the US government.

“The Starshield system is owned and controlled by the US government. Any restrictions on speed or usage are determined by the US military and ultimately by the president of the United States.”

Meanwhile, Halyna Yusypiuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, said Ukraine wanted the service restored to normal speeds as soon as possible because civilian safety depended on it.

US Democratic Representative Jason Crow also warned of the risks associated with the government's reliance on SpaceX for national security needs.

“Unelected billionaires and private companies should not determine what is in the best interests of American national security,” Crow said. (DH/LM)