President Donald Trump said on October 22 that Elon Musk had "put back" access to Starshield, the military-grade satellite communications system whose restrictions last week disrupted Ukrainian drone operations. Ukrainian military commanders on Friday reported some improvement in performance but said the system remained throttled and was operating below its previous capabilities. Trump had denied on October 16 that the system was slowed and dismissed Musk as the cause, statements the October 22 remark appears to contradict. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump personally telephoned Musk and asked him to reverse the restrictions; Trump declined to confirm the call when asked. Earlier reporting indicated Musk imposed limitations that surprised Ukrainian commanders and produced confusion within the Trump administration, and Musk said decisions about Starshield were up to the government. The contradiction in Trump’s two accounts means either he misled reporters, was misinformed by his administration, or had not established the facts before speaking, the article notes. Ukraine’s continued reports of reduced capability leave the restoration claim disputed and operational questions unresolved.
