Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown That Blindsided Ukraine

Is this saying that Musk ordered by himself a restriction in the service of Starshield, a US defense infrastructure? Is it just me or this doesn't make any sense?

So, Starlink is a national security risk. Worth noting.

Be glad you saw this thread before it is inevitably flagged from the site, despite clearly being relevant.

This is hugely relevant in India because Musk is trying to force his way into the Indian market [1]. You don't want Musk owning critical infrastructure in any country.

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/14/business/india-elon-musk-...

I wonder in what other country a private individual would be given the power over foreign policy to this extent.

So which reporting do I believe:

  Reuters reported the order came from inside the White House
  The Telegraph reported Musk proposed it to Trump
  WSJ says Musk ordered it

When will Elon be held accountable?

Note to anyone considering buying defense product from Musk's companies: your security may be shut off at Elon Musk's whim.

From another comment of mine on a HN Musk submission today

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Musk has earned the vitriol, largely due to his political stunts. When the world's richest person starts dumping his money into elections and interfering in politics across the globe, why are we surprised people are angry and critical? When he takes a golden chainsaw to USAID, how many preventable deaths are directly attributable to these changes? How is it fair that an unelected, private citizen can contribute so much money to one person's political campaign, and then receive carte blanche to change our public services as a reward? How is it that this same person can unilaterally change how our military assets are used by an ally?

Something is deeply wrong with this. This is the heart of people's anger.

Musk adds Ukrainian blood to his already sopping-wet hands.

Elon Musk is a national security threat to free Europe.

I don’t for a second believe anyone in leadership will make the necessary hard choices, e.g. tariffs or even bans on purchasing or financing Tesla and Starlink. And Musk knows this. He wouldn’t dare pull this sort of nonsense with anyone in China’s sphere of influence.