US Asked SpaceX for Years to Switch Starlink On or Off in 4 Conflict Zones
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Oct 24
US Asked SpaceX for Years to Switch Starlink On or Off in 4 Conflict Zones
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Oct 24
Summary
Six former senior US officials told Reuters that Biden and Trump administrations repeatedly asked SpaceX to activate or cut Starlink in Ukraine, Iran, Yemen and Lebanon to support foreign-policy goals.
Biden officials sought shutdowns after intelligence suggested diverted terminals were reaching Houthis and Hezbollah, and also pushed to expand Starlink for Ukraine and inside Iran during the 2022 protest movement.
Trump officials later discussed turning Starlink on in Iran after US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026 to help anti-government protesters communicate, according to a former senior official and another source.
The disclosures deepen scrutiny of Washington's reliance on Musk after this month's throttling of Ukraine's Starshield access, which Kyiv says disrupted drone operations and frontline communications.
European officials and some US lawmakers say the episode shows the risk of depending on a private company with no near-term alternative for critical military satellite links.
What hidden safeguards exist when national security relies entirely on commercial satellite networks during international conflicts?
Could terminal-level satellite control become the ultimate invisible weapon in modern geopolitical warfare?
How does a single private company hold the power to shape battlefield outcomes and global diplomacy in 2026?
US Manipulation of Starlink in 2026: Battlefield Disruptions, Geopolitical Shockwaves, and the Rise of Rival Megaconstellations
Overview
In October 2026, US political pressure led SpaceX to restrict Starshield satellite speeds in Ukraine, causing Ukrainian military drones to lose connections and crash, resulting in major equipment losses and operational setbacks. This sudden throttling sparked public controversy and calls for clearer rules on private influence over foreign policy. Meanwhile, the US covertly expanded Starlink access in Iran to support protesters and disabled illicit terminals used by hostile groups in Lebanon and Yemen. These interventions alarmed European leaders, who accelerated efforts to build independent satellite networks, while Russia and China developed countermeasures and alternative constellations, reshaping the global space power landscape.