WASHINGTON: The US asked SpaceX on several occasions to activate or restrict Starlink service abroad, including in Ukraine, Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, six former senior officials told Reuters.
During President Joe Biden’s administration, officials sought to expand Starlink access for Ukraine’s military and to provide internet connectivity inside Iran.
They also asked SpaceX to identify and deactivate terminals believed to be used by Iran-linked Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Former officials said US intelligence about diverted terminals was shared with the company. At least some terminals were subsequently disabled.
President Donald Trump’s administration later discussed activating Starlink inside Iran after US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026 to support communications for anti-government protesters.
Read: Ukraine Reports Starlink Restrictions, Raising Drone Concerns
Neither the Trump administration nor SpaceX has publicly confirmed that those terminals were activated. The disclosures follow a dispute over restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield, the military version of the satellite network.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said reduced access had affected military drones and other operations. Washington has acknowledged a slowdown but has not said whether the White House ordered it. SpaceX did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Elon Musk wrote that Starshield is controlled by the US government and that limits on speed or usage are decided by US authorities. Ukraine has asked for normal service to be restored.
Read: Elon Musk Challenges Ambani Over Starlink Launch In India
European officials have meanwhile argued that Europe needs its own military satellite communications capability because they see no viable short-term alternative to SpaceX’s systems.
The Biden and Trump administrations repeatedly asked SpaceX to activate or restrict Starlink service in several countries for US foreign-policy and security objectives.
