Adam Schiff Demands Elon Musk Testify Under Oath Over Ukraine’s Starlink Access, Calls for Senate Probe: 'Either the President Was Lying or...'

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said conflicting accounts about Ukraine’s satellite access warrant congressional scrutiny, as it has “life or death consequences” for the nation.

On Tuesday, Schiff took to X and called for a full Senate investigation into claims that Space Exploration Technologies Corp.‘s (NASDAQ:SPCX) Starlink connectivity in Ukraine was slowed or restricted.

Schiff added that national security decisions should reflect U.S. interests rather than "the personal whim of an unstable executive."

"Either the President was lying or Musk was lying," Schiff wrote on X. He noted that Elon Musk should be compelled to testify before Congress under oath.

Either the President was lying or Musk was lying, but the decision to slow down satellite speed and access has life or death consequences for Ukraine.

This deserves a full investigation by the Senate. Elon Musk should be compelled to testify before Congress and under oath.… https://t.co/yuk4jjSZUZ pic.twitter.com/lCBo8BSGu2

— Senator Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) October 20, 2026

Trump Denies Role in Starlink Slowdown

The dispute centers on Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield services operated by SpaceX.

Last week, President Donald Trump denied ordering restrictions on SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield services in Ukraine after Ukrainian officials said reduced connectivity disrupted military operations. He also said, “I don’t think it was Elon.” Meanwhile, Musk had pointed to the U.S. government’s control over Starshield services.

On Tuesday, a report stated that Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of Starshield, Starlink’s military-focused version, last week. Trump discussed the move on a call shortly after the slowdown became public, the report added, citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter. One source said the two had also spoken about the issue before the decision to throttle Starlink.

Musk, Trump Face Backlash

Investor Ross Gerber accused Musk and the Trump administration of bearing responsibility for deaths in Ukraine, alleging the White House was trying to shift blame for a reported Starlink slowdown ordered by Musk. In a post on X, Gerber predicted both would be held accountable within two years.

Previously, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) urged Elon Musk to clarify whether reported overnight disruptions to Ukraine’s Starlink terminals were accidental, warning that weakening Kyiv’s defense against Russia could raise serious questions about SpaceX’s role. Tillis called on the company to fix any temporary glitch, stressing that supporting Ukrainian sovereignty should not be a gray area for the U.S. government or American corporations.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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