Elizabeth Warren warns of risk after reports Elon Musk throttled Starshield

United States Senator Elizabeth Warren warned of an enormous risk to the country if SpaceX founder Elon Musk interfered with the speed of the Starshield satellite system used by Ukraine, the Washington Examiner reported. Her comments follow reports that Musk ordered a slowdown of the satellite service. CBS News and the South China Morning Post both reported that Musk made the decision to restrict Ukraine's access to the SpaceX network. [1][3][5]

The satellite service was slowed significantly last week, according to CBS News and the South China Morning Post. Sources told CBS News that Musk held multiple conversations with administration officials before issuing the order because he wanted clarity on the president's thinking. The satellite network is used by Ukraine to protect sites, hit targets, and conduct drone operations. [3][5]

War Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that a violation of Starshield's terms of service could have caused the speed of the communications system to be throttled, the Washington Examiner reported. Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding who ordered the slowdown. Starshield is a military adaptation of SpaceX's Starlink satellite network that was developed under a contract with the War Department. [1][6][10]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Elon Musk previously stated that any restrictions on Ukraine's Starshield satellite system are controlled by the United States government and President Donald Trump, rather than SpaceX. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously accused the United States military of restricting Starshield satellite capabilities, noting that speed limits of 130 to 160 kilometres per hour were disrupting drone strike coordination. [10][11]