Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) stated in an interview with NPR that the Trump administration has not provided Congress with information regarding reports that access to Starshield was temporarily restricted in Ukraine. Starshield is a military-focused version of the Starlink satellite communications system. Quigley, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee and as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said that Ukraine reports its access has since been restored.
The reported disruption follows statements from Elon Musk indicating that Starshield is operated by the U.S. Department of Defense. Quigley said that Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, announced on October 14 that the committee received no formal notification of changes to intelligence support for Ukraine. Quigley stated the administration is legally required to inform the committee of such changes.
Quigley linked the reported communications disruption to other recent administration actions, specifically a deal announced by President Trump to purchase Russian diesel fuel. The congressman alleged that the administration is attempting to discourage Ukraine from striking energy targets within Russia, which Quigley claimed Trump has linked to domestic inflation and energy prices. Quigley characterized the administration’s foreign policy as transactional and said Trump has never publicly stated who he wants to win the war.
The dispute also centers on the 2022 law passed by Congress that banned Russian oil imports. Quigley stated that the president cannot legally import Russian oil without notifying Congress that the war has ended, and he argued that the purchase of diesel provides funding for Russia's military.
Congressional Democrats have indicated they have limited immediate recourse while in the minority, but Quigley suggested that if his party wins control of the House, a lawsuit could be filed by the Speaker in January. In the interim, members of the Ukraine Caucus are seeking to recruit Republican colleagues to support legislation to restrict the imports. No specific dates for these legislative actions have been set.