Trump says he may contact Musk over Starlink restrictions affecting Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said on Friday, October 23, that he has not spoken to the SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, but he would if there were still problems related to Ukraine's military-grade version of the Starlink service.

"If there is a problem, I will get it straightened out," Trump told reporters in White House before leaving for a rally in Florida."I have not spoken to him. I might have to, but I have not. I've heard it was fixed, but if it's not, I'll speak to him." Trump added that he had heard the issue was resolved. He also rejected that the tech mogul had too much control over a system that is vital for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, now in its fifth year.

"I don't think he does," Trump said. "Elon will never do anything wrong. I know him very well; he is a fair person." The pair have shared a complicated relationship, including a public fallout after Musk exited the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in 2025. The two then maintained a cordial relationship when they appeared in Trump's caravan several times, including in Beijing and in White House while meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Trump's statement comes in direct contradiction to the Wall Street Journal report, which claimed that he had spoken to the SpaceX CEO. According to the report, which cites anonymous US officials, Trump called Musk and expressed frustration over the network being capped. According to those sources, Trump asked Musk to lift a 100 mph speed limit that was causing Ukrainian defence and offensive drones to lose connectivity behind Russian lines. Musk previously said he was not behind the slowdown, which affected Ukraine's ability to use attack drones and coordinate defensive operations.

According to a BBC report which cites Ukrainian defence officials, there was "currently no confirmation that these restrictions have been lifted".