Lawmakers urge Hegseth to expand Ukraine’s Starshield access

What lawmakers are requesting

A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers is pressing the Trump administration to restore and expand Ukraine’s access to Starshield satellite systems. The lawmakers made the request in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, putting the issue directly before the official who leads the Defense Department.

The appeal brings together members of both political parties and both chambers of Congress. All of the lawmakers who signed the letter are firm supporters of Ukraine.

Their request has two parts: restoring access and making that access broader. The use of both terms makes clear that the lawmakers are not seeking only a return to an earlier level of availability; they also want Ukraine to receive greater access to the systems.

The warning to the administration

The lawmakers warned that failing to restore and expand access would cripple Kyiv’s military operations against Russia. Their letter presents Starshield access as an immediate military capability question rather than a general statement of support for Ukraine.

The request now rests with Hegseth and the Trump administration. It asks the administration to determine whether Ukraine’s access will be restored and whether the scope of that access will grow.

The letter also creates a formal congressional record of bipartisan concern over the issue. Because it comes from lawmakers in both the House and Senate, the request reflects interest across Congress, although the letter itself does not compel the Defense Department to make the requested change.