Reuters: Washington repeatedly approached Musk on Starlink management

Requests for the satellite network from both administrations

The administrations of former US President Joe Biden and current President Donald Trump have repeatedly approached American billionaire Elon Musk with requests to enable or disable access to Starlink terminals in various countries around the world. This was reported by Reuters, citing the testimony of six former senior US officials.

According to sources, Washington asked to both restrict the system's operation in specific regions and expand its availability to support military operations and ensure internet connectivity.

Restrictions in Yemen and Lebanon

During Biden's presidency, US authorities, among other things, asked SpaceX to disable Starlink to prevent its use by armed groups linked to Iran in Yemen and Lebanon.

In October 2023, during hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, intelligence agencies informed the White House about the possible acquisition of satellite terminals by individuals associated with the group. Similar concerns arose in 2024 regarding the Houthis in Yemen, when the US was conducting an air campaign against the group.

Service activation in Iran and Ukraine

Meanwhile, the Biden administration sought to activate the service in Iran to ensure internet access. Specifically, US authorities asked SpaceX to enable Starlink during the protests that began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini. She had been detained for "improper wearing of the hijab". According to one former official, the administration helped deliver Starlink terminals to the country, although he did not specify their number.

Additionally, shortly after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Biden administration sought to expand the use of Starlink by Ukrainian military forces, two former officials said.

Requests during the Trump era

The Trump administration also approached Musk with a request to ensure Starlink operations in Iran following US-Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026. According to a former senior Trump administration official and another Reuters source, the aim was to improve internet and communication access for participants in anti-government protests.

According to the agency, this is the first time such requests from US authorities to Starlink have become known.