Diyar Güldoğan
21 October 2026•Update: 21 October 2026
Two senior Democratic lawmakers demanded Tuesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explain reported restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield satellite communications services and other delays in military assistance.
In a letter to Hegseth, House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro and Defense Subcommittee ranking member Betty McCollum called for an investigation into the reported restrictions and urged the Pentagon to provide its findings to congressional defense committees within 30 days.
“We were horrified to learn of reports that officials within the Administration authorized restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield satellite communications services,” the lawmakers wrote.
Citing UN figures, they said civilian casualties in Ukraine were 85% higher in September than in the same month last year, while more than 2,500 civilians had been killed in the country since January.
“Allowing Russia to murder innocent civilians is unconscionable. Restricting the use of Starshield could be seen as militarily assisting Russia,” the letter said.
The lawmakers asked the Defense Department to identify who authorized the restrictions, the legal authority underpinning the decision, the justification for it and the duration and operational impact of the measures.
The letter follows media reports raising questions about the Trump administration’s handling of military and communications support for Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
