Trump asks Musk to lift limits on Starlink's military version in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump phoned SpaceX founder Elon Musk on Wednesday and asked him to lift restrictions on the use of Starshield in Ukraine. Starshield is the military version of the Starlink satellite communications system. The information was published by the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal, which cited US officials.

What is known about the call

According to the newspaper, the call took place on Wednesday, and Trump made a specific request of Musk: to ease or remove the current restrictions limiting how the military communications system can be used in Ukraine. The source does not say which restrictions are in force, how Musk responded, or whether any decision has been made.

Background

Starlink is a satellite communications system created by SpaceX, while Starshield is its version designed for military needs. The information about the call comes from US officials, and the source text contains no official comment from the White House or from Musk himself. A confirmation or denial of the report may therefore still follow.