Senate Republicans and Democrats have jointly informed White House officials that they will withhold confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pending nominees until the administration restores critical satellite communications capabilities used by Ukraine’s military, according to individuals familiar with the matter. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, which have not yet been made public.
The impasse is set to intensify during the lame-duck session of Congress following the midterm elections, when Republicans are expected to push through numerous nominations before the current congressional term ends. This dispute underscores growing bipartisan concern in Washington over the administration’s perceived shift toward a more conciliatory stance with Russia.
Last week, Ukrainian officials reported degrading performance of their military drones, which rely heavily on the Starshield satellite communications network operated by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s company. Ukrainian forces suspected that the network’s capabilities had been intentionally limited. While no definitive evidence has been disclosed as to whether the restrictions were deliberate or who authorized them, President Trump recently spoke with Musk and requested the full restoration of Ukraine’s access to the service, according to senior U.S. officials.
The satellite disruptions and other delays—such as in the delivery of ballistic missile interceptors and early-warning intelligence—have raised alarms among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican and former FBI counterintelligence agent, expressed skepticism that these issues resulted from unintentional errors. He called for accountability and criticized what he described as increased hostility from Mr. Trump toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a bipartisan call organized this week by Senators Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, and Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, Mr. Zelensky reported that satellite service interruptions were hampering Ukraine’s ability to detect and intercept incoming Russian drones, many traveling at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The senators issued a joint statement condemning efforts that impede Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
U.S. personnel stationed in Ukraine have also been affected by the reduced effectiveness of Ukrainian air defenses. A U.S. official who recently visited Kyiv noted that last-minute warnings of incoming Russian drone and missile attacks prevented diplomats from reaching hardened shelters, forcing them to seek safety in hallways instead. Approximately 230 American military and diplomatic staff remain in the country, relying on Ukrainian defenses for protection.
Concerns over these disruptions have led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to review pending transfers of air defense interceptors authorized by Congress but not yet delivered to Ukraine. The committee is also weighing potential investigations into SpaceX’s role in the reported interruptions and has requested documentation from firms involved in transactions related to Russian diesel supplies.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s charge d’affaires in Washington, Dennis Sienk, has urged for the removal of speed restrictions on Starshield services, emphasizing the urgent need to protect Ukrainian lives amid ongoing Russian drone attacks.
Separately, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, called on President Trump to accept a proposal from Mr. Zelensky to suspend attacks on Russian petroleum infrastructure in exchange for U.S. assistance in targeting Russian missile launches. Wicker framed the deal as a potential means to lower fuel prices in the United States and urged the president to consider it promptly.