The reply to the senators — four Republicans and five Democrats — said the matter would be better addressed to the US Air Force and Space Force. An aide to a US congressman familiar with the situation said the inspector general "is effectively refusing to investigate the activities of Musk and Starlink, although he has all the necessary capabilities to do so."
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the lead Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee and one of the authors of the request, said she was concerned by the inspector general's decision not to investigate the disruptions to satellite communications on which Ukraine relies to protect civilians.
In mid-October, Ukrainian military officials reported restrictions on Starshield: communications dropped out when drones flew faster than 160 kilometers per hour. Donald Trump said he had not ordered any restriction on Starshield in Ukraine and did not know who might have done so.
The Telegraph, citing four sources, reported that Musk had approached Trump with such a proposal. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Musk himself had ordered the restriction of Starshield for Ukraine.
Musk confirmed the restrictions were imposed on October 24. He accused the Ukrainian military of violating the terms of use of the satellite communications, saying they had used Starlink for offensive drone strikes aimed at killing people. The same day, Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara confirmed that Starlink and Starshield were restored in Ukraine at speeds above 400 kilometers per hour.
According to AP, the senators asked the inspector general to establish whether Pentagon officials or other US government representatives had ordered changes to intelligence-sharing agreements or to the early-warning capabilities or services of Starlink and Starshield. The lawmakers wanted answers to two questions: whether US officials were involved, and whether Musk had exploited a loophole in the system.