Former President Donald Trump reportedly contacted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to request the removal of restrictions placed on the military-grade Starlink system supporting Ukraine. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Starshield system, critical for Ukraine's defense against Russian forces, returned to more typical operational status shortly after the conversation between Trump and Musk. This development came amid a period where Musk had slowed down the service, a move that raised concerns among U.S. and Ukrainian officials.

The slowdown had initially sparked bipartisan criticism from lawmakers, with some raising questions about who controls the essential satellite technology that the U.S. government has heavily invested in. Senator Richard Blumenthal initiated a formal inquiry into the circumstances that allowed the Starlink system to be throttled without prior notice, emphasizing the significant risk this posed to Ukrainian forces and civilians. Senator John Cornyn also expressed skepticism that Musk would have acted without some level of White House approval.

While the Journal's report indicated that Trump and Musk were in communication about the issue soon after the restrictions were applied, Trump has publicly denied involvement. He stated he did not know whether Musk was responsible for the slowdown and has been noncommittal about whether he made the phone call. However, Trump later acknowledged the service was restored shortly after the alleged conversation and deflected questions by suggesting it was not significant who initiated the correction.

The Starlink controversy coincides with Trump increasing his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, particularly targeting Ukraine's attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Concurrently, Trump has pursued easing sanctions on Russia to allow its diesel to re-enter global markets, an unusual position during the ongoing conflict. The White House and representatives associated with Musk did not respond to immediate requests for comment on this newly reported interaction.