Mumbai:US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied any involvement by the US government in the reported slowdown of Starlink services used by Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Rubio clarified that Starlink is a private entity and emphasized that the US government cannot dictate its operational decisions.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Rubio stated, "Starlink is a private company. They have a contract. They have contractual terms upon how that technology can be used. The important point is we cannot direct a private company as to the decisions they make or not make." He stressed that neither the President of the United States nor anyone in the government had requested any changes to the Starlink system.
During his three-day visit to India, Rubio reiterated that President Donald Trump was not involved in the decisions made by Starlink, Starshield, or SpaceX founder Elon Musk. He described the company as private and beyond presidential control, adding, "I'm not aware of any foreknowledge, nor anyone - but again, the reporting was not about foreknowledge."
The denial from Rubio follows a report by The Wall Street Journal, which alleged that Musk had ordered a slowdown of a military-grade version of Starlink used by Ukrainian forces. The report mentioned that US officials familiar with the situation indicated Musk had capped the speeds of the Starlink satellite internet service, affecting the utility of Ukrainian military drones.
Elon Musk responded on the social media platform X, asserting that "any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," referring to the President of the United States.
Furthermore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commented that the US had not withdrawn any support but acknowledged that Starlink retained the right to make decisions regarding its service terms.
Responding to inquiries about the necessity of providing advance notice to the US national security adviser, Rubio refrained from commenting on specifics but dismissed claims of US obstruction as inaccurate. He underscored the critical support provided by the US, stating, "if it were not for the assistance of the United States, including under the Trump administration, there would be no Ukraine right now."
Rubio also noted that the US military maintains a separate contract with SpaceX for Starshield, indicating this as a distinct matter due to its direct purchase and use by the US.