A group of Silicon Valley House Democrats called on the White House to investigate the recent suspension of Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service in Ukraine in a letter to President Donald Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles on Friday.
The letter, shared exclusively with CNBC, was led by California Democratic Reps. Sam Licciardo, Ro Khanna and Jimmy Panetta, and was written in reference to the military version of the Starshield. space x Starlink was restricted for a period of time in Ukraine, limiting the military capabilities of the besieged country.
Ukrainian officials told CNN on Friday that the restrictions remain in place, despite President Donald Trump’s assertion Thursday that Musk had regained access. Officials said the restrictions hampered the operation of high-speed military drones, hampering Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian attacks and carry out front-line operations.
In a letter to Wiles, the lawmakers called for an “immediate government-wide investigation into the decision to restrict SpaceX’s StarShield satellite intelligence and military support services in Ukraine.” The letter suggests that Democrats will make investigating the Starlink sabotage a top priority if they win the House in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
“We will ensure that the 120th Congress closely scrutinizes federal funds awarded to Mr. Musk’s businesses, including whether these companies are meeting their contractual obligations and whether adequate safeguards exist against political interference, arbitrary service limitations, and misuse of federal resources,” the lawmakers wrote.
In response to questions about Friday’s letter, the White House referred CNBC to President Trump’s comments the day before. Trump declined to say Thursday whether he called Musk about the restrictions, telling reporters, “It doesn’t matter if I called him or somebody else called him.” “At the end of the day, he brought it back,” he added, referring to Musk and the StarShield service.
SpaceX did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
If Democrats gain control of Congress, they are widely expected to be given committee-level subpoena power to investigate private companies that contract with the government.
At the heart of the lawmakers’ questions is who ordered the suppression of Ukraine’s StarShield, and whether that order came from President Donald Trump or from Mr. Musk, a civilian.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Musk ordered the restrictions, and the news organization later reported that the restrictions were lifted after a phone call between Trump and Musk. Amid the Russian invasion that began more than four years ago, the Ukrainian military has relied on Starshields to carry out military operations. President Trump has repeatedly denied ordering Starlink’s destruction, even though Musk has publicly claimed that the order came from the White House.
“Despite the resulting loss of life and significant national security implications, neither the administration nor SpaceX have provided a clear and consistent explanation of responsibility,” the lawmakers said in the letter. “Either a private contractor independently made a life-or-death national security decision, or President Trump directed the restriction of critical military communications supporting U.S. allies.”
Rep. Sam Licciardo (D-Calif.) speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol after the final vote of the week, Thursday, April 23, 2026.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
Lawmakers asked Mr. Wiles to identify who was behind the decision to limit StarShield’s services and the individuals who “authorized, directed, approved, or consulted regarding the restrictions.” Lawmakers also asked how the restrictions were implemented, whether they violated federal contracts and whether similar vulnerabilities exist elsewhere.
“As elected members of Congress in Silicon Valley, we represent hundreds of innovation economy employers and workers whose livelihoods depend on the reliability of American technology abroad,” the lawmakers wrote. “Politically motivated service interruptions and extraordinary throttling undermine the reputation Americans have built over the decades of work they have led in support of our allies and customers around the world.”
— Luke Fountain contributed to this report.
