The Joe Biden and Donald Trump administrations have asked for Starlink internet service to be switched on or off for years.
They asked Elon Musk’s SpaceX to switch internet service on or off in countries like Ukraine, Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, according to a Reuters report.
US relied on SpaceX to support foreign policy, report says
Reuters reported that officials hoped expanded internet access would help anti-government protesters communicate. The requests included expanding internet access for US allies and protesters while restricting service to groups Washington considers adversaries. This affected military drone operations.
A similar request was made for Iran during anti-government protests following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. The Trump administration also reportedly asked SpaceX to make Starlink available in Iran following US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026. The publication also reported that Biden administration officials worked with SpaceX shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to expand Starlink coverage for Ukrainian forces. The report said Starlink terminals were also moved into Iran during nationwide protests in 2022, although officials did not disclose how many entered the country. A 2024 filing by SpaceX with the US Commerce Department said the company works closely with US government agencies to obtain export approvals and safeguard technology in support of national security and foreign policy goals. Earlier reporting noted: Donald Trump’s administration asked Musk to make the service available in Iran following US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026, in hopes it would bolster internet access and communications for anti-government protesters Donald Trump’s administration asked Musk to make the service available in Iran following US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026, in hopes it would bolster internet access and communications for anti-government protesters Earlier reporting noted: Well before the throttling this month of Ukraine’s military access to Elon Musk’s satellite communications system, the Biden and Trump administrations had several times asked SpaceX to turn its Starlink service on or off in various countries, according to six former senior US officials familiar with the matter.
The Biden administration asked SpaceX to disable Starlink terminals believed to be used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Reuters. The report said that officials, at times, also requested that the company activate Starlink inside Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said access to Starshield had been intentionally limited. He also said Starlink speeds had been reduced. “If there is a problem, I’ll get it straightened out,” Trump said. Earlier reporting noted: During the presidency of Joe Biden, the requests included switching off the service to prevent Iranian proxy militias in Yemen and Lebanon from using Starlink to communicate, and activating the service to provide internet access inside Iran and in Ukraine to support its military, said four of the former officials.
The previously unreported requests spanned several years and reflected how successive US administrations relied on SpaceX to support foreign policy and national security objectives. Moreover, President Donald Trump said on Friday that he had not spoken with Musk about the issue.
