White House Ordered SpaceX to Curb Ukraine's Starshield Satellite Access, Reports Show

The White House instructed SpaceX to restrict Ukraine's access to its Starshield satellite network on fast-moving platforms, according to U.S. and Western officials, following denials of presidential involvement. The directive capped connectivity on terminals moving above 100 mph (160 km/h), disrupting Ukrainian drone operations and air defenses. The curbs, which CEO Elon Musk maintained were under U.S. government control, were partially restored to pre-disruption capacity by Thursday morning. The incident triggered diplomatic friction, dropped SpaceX shares 2.33% to $148.61, and sent European competitor Eutelsat surging over 12% amid calls for sovereign alternatives.