The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported President Trump called
Elon Musk this week seeking removal of speed caps on the military version of
Starlink used by Ukraine. Officials said Trump complained system speeds were
limited to about 100 mph (161 km/h); after the call the network began returning
to normal on Thursday, though Ukrainian officials said service had not fully
recovered but speeds had improved. U.S. and Ukrainian officials said the caps
prevented some attack drones and interceptor drones from operating effectively.
Michael Kofman at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said lifting
the cap would help Ukraine extend strike depth and enable deployment of
jet-powered interceptor drones. The White House cited Trump’s prior denials;
Trump has denied asking Musk to limit Starlink speeds or knowing who ordered the
caps.
