Senate Democrats Order Elon Musk to Preserve Starlink Records as Ukraine Starshield Speed Limits Spark Uproar

WASHINGTON — Two senior Democratic senators have told Elon Musk to preserve all records related to SpaceX's restrictions on Ukraine's use of its Starlink and Starshield satellite systems. Democrats are signaling that the company's role in the war will be a major focus when the new Congress convenes in January.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the demand in a four-page letter released Friday. Shaheen is the committee's top Democrat.

The senators asked SpaceX to "preserve all documents, communications and electronically stored information" connected to the two services in Ukraine. They gave the company until Nov. 30 to confirm in writing that "all appropriate safeguards" are in place.

Records sought

The lawmakers are seeking SpaceX records dating back to Sept. 1. These include communications about Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine, and exchanges between Musk, other SpaceX executives, the White House and the Pentagon.

The request also covers network logs, software changes, operational instructions and records identifying who authorized or carried out the restrictions, as well as any relevant communications with Russian officials. The letter specifically targets service disruptions from Oct. 13 to 24 and again on Nov. 12, The Wall Street Journal reported.

"The October and November restrictions now raise the disturbing possibility that these vulnerabilities persist even within systems on which the US government relies," the senators wrote.

They said private companies should not hold unilateral control over communications critical to national security. "The United States cannot permit critical national security capabilities to be subject to opaque decision-making or unilateral disruption without government authorization and accountability," they wrote.

Speed limits hit Ukrainian missions

At the center of the dispute is Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that SpaceX built mainly for U.S. government and military customers.

Ukrainian officials say that since October, aircraft carrying Starshield terminals lose their connection when they exceed about 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph), disrupting a range of missions. The restriction limits Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian attack drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that the speed limits remain unresolved and are hurting his military's operations, adding that Kyiv is seeking details from Washington.

Musk blames government, Ukraine

Musk has said Starshield is controlled by the U.S. government, with the military setting limits on speed or use and final authority resting with President Donald Trump. Trump has denied any involvement in the restrictions.

Musk has also said Ukraine's military violated Starlink's terms of service, a claim Kyiv rejects. He said using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes "has never been allowed, nor should it be," and that Ukraine had exploited a loophole SpaceX moved to close last week.

House Democrats join in

Separately, Reps. Gregory Meeks and Adam Smith warned that the restrictions had contributed to Ukrainian civilian deaths, including children, and had strengthened Russian President Vladimir Putin's negotiating position. They called renewed restrictions along the front line and in Russian-occupied territory "unacceptable" if confirmed.

Political stakes

The letter carries weight beyond the battlefield. Democrats gained Senate seats in this month's midterm elections and have signaled they plan to scrutinize SpaceX's role in the war closely next year.

Shaheen has pressed the issue before. In 2023, she joined other senators in asking the Pentagon about reports that Musk had restricted Starlink access for Ukrainian forces in 2022.

SpaceX, a major Pentagon contractor, has not publicly responded to the letter.