Republicans in Congress are poised to block President Donald Trump’s nominees and stall his legislative push over restrictions on satellite services used by Ukraine’s military.
Senators from both parties have told senior White House officials they will hold up pending nominations until the administration restores critical satellite communications for Ukraine, according to The New York Times.
Ukrainian officials say disruptions to SpaceX’s Starlink and its military‑grade Starshield service have hampered battlefield communications and drone operations.
Trump reportedly asked Musk to restore full Ukraine access, but Kyiv says restrictions remain in place, prompting lawmakers to demand answers.
Satellite Standoff Threatens Trump Agenda
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R‑PA), a former FBI agent who worked on Russian counterintelligence in Kyiv, doubts the disruptions are accidental and threatens investigations, accountability and budget cuts for the involved agencies.
“I’m personally not buying the coincidence argument,” Fitzpatrick said, noting Trump’s increasingly hostile posture toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Fitzpatrick said recent talks with Zelensky highlighted delays in ballistic missile interceptors, early‑warning intelligence gaps and satellite restrictions.
A U.S. official who traveled to Kyiv told the Times that Russian attack warnings arrived too late for diplomatic staff, forcing them to shelter in hallways.
Congressional anger extends beyond the satellite dispute; Trump has moved to waive sanctions on Russia and purchase Russian diesel to lower energy prices, frustrating Republicans who backed new sanctions.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R‑MS), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged Trump to accept a Ukrainian proposal to pause strikes on Russian petroleum infrastructure in exchange for U.S. assistance locating missile and drone launch sites.
“President Trump can lower prices at the pump today by simply agreeing to this deal!” Wicker wrote on X. “MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE TAKE THIS WIN!”
A bipartisan group of nearly two dozen House members, including seven Republicans such as Fitzpatrick, Don Bacon and Joe Wilson, urged Trump to let Ukraine use Starlink to target Russian missile launchers inside Russia, arguing expanded access could save lives and pressure Putin to negotiate.
“Unfortunately, Putin presently has no intention of stopping the bloodshed,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that satellite access could incentivize a negotiated end to the war.
Retiring Rep. Don Bacon has threatened to oppose the administration’s $1.5 trillion defense budget over Trump’s handling of the conflict, saying many will not fund programs while the president “props up a dictator’s invasion and throws an ally under the bus.”
The White House defends Trump’s approach as an effort to end a war that has killed thousands and raged for more than four years, blaming Zelensky for complicating negotiations and stating the goal is to stop the fighting.
