Pentagon Watchdog Tells Lawmakers It Won’t Investigate Starlink Slowdowns in Ukraine

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon’s inspector general has declined a bipartisan request to examine recent disruptions affecting Starlink and Starshield satellite internet service in Ukraine. The decision is fueling concern among lawmakers that neither the military nor its independent watchdog is willing to challenge SpaceX chief Elon Musk’s influence over critical defense communications.

Nine senators, including four Republicans and five Democrats, had asked the inspector general to investigate after Ukrainian officials said connection speeds for Musk’s Starlink service and its military-focused counterpart, Starshield, were restricted this month. The systems are vital to Ukraine’s wartime communications, and officials said the slowdown hindered efforts to intercept fast-moving Russian attack drones.

In a letter dated Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the Pentagon watchdog told the lawmakers that their concerns should instead be addressed by the Air Force.

A congressional aide familiar with the matter described the response as a refusal by the inspector general to investigate Musk and Starlink, despite the office’s apparent ability to conduct such a review. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is sensitive.

“It is concerning that the Inspector General has apparently decided not to investigate satellite communication disruptions that Ukraine relies on to protect its civilians,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a signatory to the original request, said in a statement to the AP.

Shaheen said the “Trump Administration and SpaceX have provided conflicting accounts of what led to those disruptions” and argued that “there must be an independent accounting and review to determine responsibility and prevent this from happening in the future.”

The absence of a clear explanation has renewed scrutiny of Musk’s control over a communications network central to Ukraine’s defense. According to the congressional aide, lawmakers have questioned that control for years, concerns that helped lead to the creation of Starshield, the military-facing version of the service.

Questions abound about who authorized the slowdown

The Trump administration has offered unclear and, at times, conflicting explanations about who authorized the reduction in service.

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Musk acknowledged over the weekend that SpaceX had throttled Starlink service in Ukraine, alleging that the country had violated its terms of service. Ukrainian officials denied the accusation. Musk said, however, that the U.S. government controlled any changes involving Starshield. President Donald Trump said he did not order restrictions, while Vice President JD Vance suggested the White House may have coordinated with Musk.

Mollie Halpern, a spokeswoman for the inspector general’s office, said the watchdog had “carefully considered the congressional request and determined that the matters raised were best addressed by the Department,” referring to the Pentagon.

“Should new information come to light, we may reconsider,” Halpern said.

The Pentagon directed questions to the inspector general’s office. The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Both organizations have previously declined to answer questions about the throttling of Ukraine’s satellite internet access.

The senators asked the inspector general to determine whether Pentagon officials or other U.S. government personnel had “directed, authorized, approved, or had advance knowledge of changes to intelligence-sharing arrangements, warning capabilities, or Starlink and Starshield services affecting Ukraine.”

The congressional aide said lawmakers are seeking answers to two central questions: whether U.S. government officials played a role in the changes and whether Musk was taking advantage of a loophole in the system. The findings could shape future congressional oversight and legislation, the aide said.

This month’s disruption was not the first instance in which Musk intervened in Ukraine’s Starlink access. In 2022, during the early stages of the conflict, he ordered a blackout in areas including Kherson and Donetsk, citing concerns about possible Russian escalation.

After the latest Starlink slowdowns, Finnish satellite company Iceye said it was working with telecommunications firm Nokia and Ukraine’s defense ministry to explore cooperation in space, with a focus on “particularly in building sovereign satellite communications.”