SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said his company is not responsible for any speed restrictions on Starshield defense communications systems, saying that power is vested in the U.S. military and President Donald Trump. “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government.
Page F123From§Eachthe afternoon edition — 20 October 2026
Trump invokes wartime powers twice for one gas pipeline: $200 billion from Seoul, $42 million from you
As it ran on the front
Forty-two million dollars of public money went out this week, and you will want to know what the emergency was. The wire does not supply one. It supplies an authority — wartime powers, those words, invoked over a pipeline the Daily Caller calls long-stalled — and it supplies a purpose: an "abundant supply of low-cost natural gas." Low-cost. Mind the hyphen. Somebody drafted that.
You are thinking subsidy. Subsidy is the amateur instrument; a line in a budget may be struck by the next committee that sits. An emergency power is standing, and standing powers do not require the emergency to be argued, only invoked. This one had a prior outing. On the thirtieth of September, in the Oval Office, South Korea's government was announced as investing up to two hundred billion dollars in American energy infrastructure — the Alaska pipeline, a gas plant in Texas, eight nuclear plants. Up to two hundred billion. Twenty days later, forty-two million of yours, into the same Alaskan line.…
…(cont) And what does the public hold for its forty-two million? The wire names no stake, no share, no toll ... it names the supply as abundant and the gas as low-cost. The owner it does not name at all.
Fewer hens this spring. Down the lane the fox goes, unhurried.
“They told you the emergency was a war, and the emergency turned out to be a pipeline that could not get built on its own. So it goes through the same wartime switch twice — up to two hundred billion from Seoul's government on September 30, forty-two million out of your pocket this week — and you do not get a share of the pipe or a dime off your bill. "Low-cost natural gas," they call it. Low cost for whoever owns the line.”
“Energy security is national security, that is not controversial, that is settled doctrine — and forty-two million dollars is a rounding error, that is nothing, we spend that on... did I say rounding error? That does not sound like me. Look, the South Koreans are putting in up to two hundred billion of their own money, so the American taxpayer is getting this pipeline practically free, apart from the part the American taxpayer is paying for.”
Earlier in this story
- Musk to give every American child SpaceX stock; parental consent optional under the Trump Accounts program By Sterling · the afternoon edition, 19 October 2026
- The contribution limit died this week of natural causes, survived by a record $276 million, a $400 million party edge, and the 100 mph ceiling on Ukraine's air defense that the contractor spent three days attributing to the government that funds the terminals. By Mort · the evening edition, 18 October 2026
The receipts
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "go" after Kyiv raised doubts over US support for his country against the Russian invasion. A day earlier, Musk said any restrictions on Ukraine's use of the Starshield system would be due to decisions made by the US government after Zelensky called on…
Confusion about the U.S. stance has mounted in Kyiv amid restrictions on how the military version of Starlink is used.
Ukrainian leader says he was surprised by Trump’s ‘energy ceasefire’ announcement, posted as Russian drones hit Kyiv Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to respond to Russia’s continuing attacks on the Ukrainian power grid as European leaders rally around Kyiv amid a feud with Donald Trump over Ukraine’s strikes on oil refineries. Speaking to…
The Trump administration may have withheld intelligence warnings to Ukraine about Russian strikes that killed 6 and cut power to 600,000 people, sources say.
Ukrainian officials said speed limits were imposed on military-grade Starlink terminals without warning, disrupting military missions and forcing the cancellation of some drone operations. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on defense technology, said the restrictions apply to Starshield, SpaceX’s…
Trump promised he'd settle the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office — CNN counted 53 separate times he said it CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Washington limits its support to Kyiv amidst increased Russian attacks on energy infrastructureUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he felt 'betrayed,' as the US is threatening to halt intelligence sharing and new restrictions on the Starlink satellite network hamper the country's defense capacities.
A huge attack cut power to 600,000 people in Kyiv, and a Pentagon-funded satellite internet program appeared to be curbed without warning.
Trump promised he'd end the war within 24 hours of meeting Putin and Zelensky — CNN counted 53 separate occasions he made that promise CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Ukraine faces loss of key satellite support amid tensions between Trump and ZelenskyyTrump declared a ceasefire, but both sides are still shooting.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday said decisions to restrict the speed or usage of Starlink's Starshield are made by the U.S. military and, ultimately, the president, as confusion swirls over Ukraine's loss of military access to the systems. It is not clear at this point what caused Ukraine's military to lose access to Starshield,...
Ukraine says Starlink access has improved but it is still facing speed limits which are disrupting its battlefield "missions".
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is pressing Elon Musk to explain Ukraine’s loss of military access to Starlink and expressing hope that Ukraine’s restricted access to the space-based communications network was because of an error and not a deliberate decision. Tillis called on Musk in a social media post to “please tell me these overnight…
The Ukrainian government on Tuesday night said that its access to the SpaceX-owned Starlink satellite internet service was throttled, prompting critics to question the wisdom of depending on any company owned by far-right billionaire Elon Musk. According to a Wednesday report in The New York Times, Ukrainian officials suspect that orders…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is waving a red flag over the partnership between his country and the United States, saying he feels his administration is “losing” a strong ally in the U.S. under President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian officials and military units accused Elon Musk’s SpaceX of throttling a technology at the heart of their battlefield communications and drone operations.
Tech titan Elon Musk indicated the Trump administration, not SpaceX, caused the throttling of a military version of Starlink in Ukraine that set off panic in the war-torn country.
‘abundant supply of low-cost natural gas’
Top Ukrainian officials erupted with outrage after their soldiers allegedly faced throttled Starlink access without warning in the middle of operations, as President Trump has pressured Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries.
Launch of Russian ballistic missiles on Ukraine, with no US warning, coincides with outage of Starlink managed by Musk’s SpaceX Ukraine’s military has suddenly had its access to Starlink satellite internet terminals restricted as the Trump administration has increased pressure on Ukraine to halt long-range strikes on Russia’s oil…
Ukraine is raising alarm that air defense operations are being impacted by unannounced limitations on SpaceX satellites. The disruption comes following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warning that President Trump has threatened to cut off intelligence sharing with the country. Limits on Starlink’s services in Ukraine occurred…
Ukrainian officials tell CBS News that a U.S. early warning system failed amid a new wave of Russian strikes on Tuesday. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata has the details.
For years, Ukraine’s armed forces have relied on satellite communication services developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Recent restrictions have hampered its war effort.
Ukrainian officials suspect the U.S. has been withholding information about incoming Russian air strikes. The U.S.
· South Korea to invest up to $200B in Alaska LNG pipeline, US power plants, Trump announces from the morgue, 30 Sep 2026
· Facebook and Instagram starts to allow users in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and the Caucasus to promote violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the war in Ukraine, which is n from the morgue, 10 Mar 2022
· A missile strike kills two people in the village of Przewodów in eastern Poland. President of the United States Joe Biden says that the missile blast in Poland was caused by a Ukrainian air defense mi from the morgue, 15 Nov 2022
· Russia launches dozens of ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities for a second consecutive day with reports of power outages in Kharkiv after critical infrastructure was damaged. At least eight missile from the morgue, 22 Mar 2024
· Ukraine accuses Elon Musk of allowing Russian forces to attack Ukrainian cities after it was revealed that Starlink satellite communications interfered with a drone operation by disabling a communicat from the morgue, 8 Sep 2023
· The Security Service of Ukraine says that it detained two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels recruited by Russia's Federal Security Service who were planning an assassination of President V from the morgue, 7 May 2024
· Twelve Ukrainian servicemembers are killed and 60 more are injured in a Russian missile strike on a training camp in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drap from the morgue, 1 Jun 2025
· With Elon Musk’s Return to Washington, Possible Conflicts of Interest Resurface from the morgue, 3 Oct 2026
· Hegseth puts the future of warfare in the hands of major Maga donors from the morgue, 1 Oct 2026
· Pete Hegseth appoints Elon Musk to US taskforce on future of warfare from the morgue, 30 Sep 2026
· Elon Musk boosts GOP spending advantage with return as 2026 juggernaut from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· An Elon Musk insider shares what he found in Washington — and it should terrify you from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Trump Accord Enshrines Light-Touch Regulation of AI from the morgue, 3 Oct 2026
· Trump says tech CEOs signed ‘morally binding’ document to self-regulate artificial intelligence from the morgue, 29 Sep 2026
· READ IN FULL: Trump and tech leaders’ White House Accord on Super Intelligence from the morgue, 29 Sep 2026
· Soaring diesel prices take their toll on US farmers in midwest corn belt from the morgue, 3 Oct 2026
· Inflation Could Soon ‘Get a Lot More Painful’ as Trump’s Iran War Drives Diesel Over $6 a Gallon from the morgue, 11 Sep 2026
· 'Can't Message That Away': GOP Frets as Trump Administration Desperately Spins Record-High Diesel Prices from the morgue, 5 Sep 2026
· 'Trump Did It!': At $5.85 a Gallon, Diesel Price Hits All-Time High in US Thanks to War on Iran from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· States take matters into their own hands to curb record-high diesel prices from the morgue, 29 Sep 2026
· U.N. experts say U.S. may have committed war crimes with 2 Iran strikes from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Trump Says 'Big Decision' Coming on Whether to 'Annihilate' Iran from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Pentagon No. 3 frustrates senators in closed-door briefing on Iran war, Trump defense strategy from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Senate Democrats, minus Fetterman, urge Hegseth to provide receipt for Iran war costs from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Hegseth on "devastation" to Iran's capabilities from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Trump admits Iran war will not end before midterms from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Iran War Trump Said Would Be Quick Has Now Lasted 6 Months With 'No End In Sight' from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· CBO Finds Trump's Iran War Has Already Cost Nearly $40 Billion—And That's a 'Conservative' Estimate from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis supports Hegseth impeachment resolution: 'He needs to go' from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth for Illegal Iran War, Boat Murders from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie launches effort to impeach Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis urges Trump to fire Hegseth over 'inept management' of military from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s firing after Driscoll’s departure: ‘I have never witnessed more inept management’ from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says farmers are "all just in survival mode" from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says "I can't stay in business" amid rising costs from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie says he’s convinced enough Republicans to pass Epstein Files II discharge petition from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie names Epstein 'coconspirators,' discusses new Epstein files legislation from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Read Thomas Massie’s eight impeachment charges against Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Fake Republican midterm convention site still redirects to Epstein files from the morgue, 7 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision’ coming up on Iran: ‘Do I want to go in and annihilate them’ from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran recently downed at least 2 American drones, officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Big Oil Stocks Surged Due to Iran War—and New Filings Show How President Trump Cashed In from the morgue, 27 Aug 2026
· Live updates: Energy secretary downplays rising gas prices as US, Iran trade strikes from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· U.S. Strike on Iranian School May Have Been War Crime, U.N. Report Says from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Inquiry Finds US Strike on Minab, Iran That Killed 123 Children Was War Crime from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN investigators conclude ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe certain US strikes in Iran were war crimes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Suspects US War Crimes in Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Condemned for 'War Crimes' After Bombing of Wedding Party in Iran from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· US investigating if missile hit Iranian wedding ceremony, killing 4 from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision coming up’ on Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· White House issues explosive response to UN-backed report claiming US committed war crimes against world’s No.1 sponsor of terror, Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Human rights experts: 'Reasonable grounds' to believe US committed war crimes with Iran strikes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Energy Consumers Have Spent $121 Billion Extra Since Trump Launched Iran War: Moody's from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran downed at least 2 American drones in recent days, U.S. officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran: Account of US Air Force colonel's rescue 'fictional' from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Consumer Burden of Trump Iran War Exceeds $100 Billion as Oil Prices Pass $100 a Barrel from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'A Serious and Alarming Threat': US Bombing, Blockade Deepen Iran Medical Crisis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Consumer Confidence Hits Lowest Level in Months as US Faces 'Trump's Reckless Tariffs and War With Iran' from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.