Pentagon watchdog rejects bipartisan plea to investigate Starlink disruption, AP reports

The Pentagon’s watchdog has refused a bipartisan request by U.S. lawmakers to investigate recent Starlink and Starshield service disruptions to Ukraine, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Oct. 28.

A bipartisan group of nine U.S. senators penned a formal letter on Oct. 15 to the Department of Defense Inspector General, following unexpected disruptions to Ukraine’s Starlink and Starshield services earlier this month. The Department of Defense Inspector General, or watchdog, is an independent office responsible for auditing and investigating official conduct within the Pentagon.

"We urgently request an Inspector General investigation into these incidents," the  ators wrote, "including whether actions or decisions by the Department of Defense or its contractors contributed to these dangerous circumstances."

In a response received Oct. 27, the watchdog told the lawmakers that they should turn their concerns to the U.S. Air Force instead, according to AP, which obtained a copy of the letter.

The rebuff is interpreted by sources familiar with the matter as a refusal by the Inspector General to investigate Elon Musk and Starlink.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, who signed the initial letter said the response was "concerning" and urged that because "the Trump Administration and SpaceX have provided conflicting accounts of what led to those disruptions" there “must be an independent account and review,” according to AP..

The disruptions occurred on Oct. 14, when Space X abruptly implemented a speed cap on Ukraine’s vital Starshield service.

Ukraine widely uses both commercial Starlink terminals and their militarized version, Starshield.

The limitation occurred amid heightened tensions between Kyiv and the White House, with Trump demanding that Ukraine halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and making a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import diesel from Russia.

While no actor has taken responsibility for the decision to restrict Starlink, Musk reportedly approached U.S. President Donald Trump with the idea of restricting Starlink speeds for Ukrainian forces, according to reports by the Telegraph on Oct. 16, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 23 that Trump had ordered SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Oct. 21 to lift the restrictions, saying the president was "frustrated the system's speeds remained capped at around 160 kilometers (100 miles) an hour."

Another bipartisan group of Senators penned another public letter directed at Musk on Oct. 23, in which they remind the CEO that Space X is a publicly traded company with legal obligations to disclose information to shareholders and the public.