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Ukraine’s Starlink restored as Elon Musk claims Kyiv violated terms of service ‘to kill people’

Ukraine’s Starlink restored as Elon Musk claims Kyiv violated terms of service ‘to kill people’

Elon Musk on Saturday continued to defend Starlink after Ukraine faced more than a week of speed restrictions that disrupted its war effort against Russia, saying SpaceX has done more to defend the country than any other private company “by far,” while accusing the country of using the technology in violation of its terms of service “to kill people.” “Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on X, claiming that Ukraine had “violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week.” He explained that Starshield is a different system controlled by the U.S. government.  “What they decide to do is up to them.” ELON MUSK BLAMES TRUMP, US MILITARY FOR SPACEX RESTRICTIONS UKRAINE WARNS COULD HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES “Starlink remains critical to the defense of Ukraine, as it is the only system that cannot be jammed or blown up, at least for now,” he wrote in response to an X post that stated Starlink is “not a weapons system.”  “Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately. This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact,” he added. Musk said that Starlink was crucial at the beginning of the war because it was the only means of communication that couldn’t be “destroyed or jammed by Russia. “SpaceX has done more to defend Ukraine than any private company on Earth BY FAR,” he claimed. “That said, I have nothing but UTTER CONTEMPT for the virtue-signaling evil warmongers who push for endless slaughter and offer no realistic solution to the conflict. May you burn in hell. End of story.” Last week, Musk blamed the issue on the U.S. military. “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” the SpaceX, Tesla and X CEO wrote in a post. UKRAINE SHOWED TRUMP HOW EASILY AN ENEMY COULD CRIPPLE AN AI POWERHOUSE A source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital that Ukraine received no advance warning before the restrictions took effect overnight, despite relying on the service under arrangements contracted through the U.S. government until May 15, 2027. Ukrainian forces discovered the change after experiencing connectivity problems and contacting SpaceX customer support. They were told Starshield service would be restricted on platforms traveling at speeds of 100 mph or higher, the source said. Musk did not say whether President Donald Trump, War Secretary Pete Hegseth or another U.S. official personally authorized the new restriction or explain why it was imposed. Trump told reporters on Saturday that he had spoken to Musk about the issue, but wouldn’t elaborate. UKRAINE REGAINS CRITICAL STARLINK SERVICE AFTER RESTRICTIONS DISRUPT DRONE OPERATIONS Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced Saturday that it had regained broader access to Starlink, with connections remaining stable at speeds of 250 mph. It remains unclear what led to the slowdown in service, with Ukraine having accused both Trump and Musk of being behind it, and comes after renewed hope for Ukraine and Russia to reach a resolution in the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Hegseth have denied that the U.S. government was responsible for slowing Ukraine’s Starlink service. Russia agreed Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told “Fox & Friends” this week he would be open to ending the war by freezing the fighting along the current front lines.  Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, SpaceX, along with the War and State departments for comment. Fox News’ James Cirrone contributed to this report. 

Obama compares Trump’s White House renovations to ‘Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory’ at Ohio rally

Obama compares Trump’s White House renovations to ‘Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory’ at Ohio rally

Former President Barack Obama mocked President Donald Trump’s White House renovations Saturday, comparing the historic residence to a Cheesecake Factory run by Saddam Hussein while campaigning for Democrats in Ohio. Obama delivered the jab during a Cleveland rally supporting Democrat gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, criticizing Trump’s priorities just 10 days before the midterm elections. “I mean, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovations,” Obama said. “He should be on HGTV.” OBAMA CLAIMS HE OCCUPIES ‘A SUITE’ IN TRUMP’S MIND, QUESTIONS THE PRESIDENT’S FOCUS ON AMERICANS Obama rattled off Trump’s ballroom project, Rose Garden makeover and South Lawn helipad before taking aim at the president’s affinity for gold décor. “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” Obama quipped. The renovations, however, include several functional upgrades to the White House grounds. TRUMP DEFENDS US INTERVENTIONS ABROAD AHEAD OF ‘BIG DECISION’ ON IRAN: ‘SETTLING YEARS OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS’ The Rose Garden’s former central lawn was replaced with limestone paving in 2025, creating a patio for outdoor events, speeches and entertaining, while the traditional roses were retained around the perimeter. Trump also unveiled an upgraded granite White House helipad featuring the presidential seal in September. Official White House photographs show Marine One landing on and departing from the new facility during a Sept. 21 ribbon-cutting ceremony. The administration’s ballroom project is intended to provide permanent, secure space for large official events, addressing a longstanding reliance on temporary tents for major White House functions. A National Park Service environmental assessment notes that the need for expanded event space was identified in a White House planning document dating to 2000. Obama’s swipe at Trump’s White House makeover comes as his own presidential center in Chicago has faced criticism over its imposing, granite-clad tower, which some critics have dubbed the ‘Obamalisk,’ along with ballooning construction costs and years of delays. The Obama Presidential Center’s projected price tag has surpassed $1 billion, nearly triple its original $350 million estimate, according to previous Fox News Digital reporting. Subcontractors have alleged they are owed millions for their work, while taxpayers have been saddled with hundreds of millions of dollars in associated public infrastructure costs separate from the center’s construction budget. Obama’s criticism extended beyond the presidential residence to Trump’s handling of the conflict with Iran, which the former president blamed for higher energy costs. “Most importantly, he decided to start an unnecessary war that nobody asked for and nobody voted for,” Obama said. He also defended the nuclear agreement negotiated during his presidency. TRUMP RIPS OBAMA’S ‘STUPID’ IRAN DEAL, CLAIMS FORMER PRESIDENT THOUGHT ‘HE COULD BRIBE THEM’ “Iran didn’t have nuclear weapons because I had put a deal in place that everybody knows kept them from getting nukes,” Obama claimed. Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 agreement in 2018, arguing that its temporary nuclear restrictions were insufficient and that it failed to adequately address Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for regional militant terror groups. The agreement offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear restrictions and international inspections. Inspectors reported some Iranian compliance before the U.S. withdrawal, although Iran subsequently expanded uranium enrichment beyond the deal’s proposed limits. Obama also accused Trump of pursuing policies that increased consumer costs, criticizing immigration enforcement as he urged Ohio voters to hold Republicans accountable. Acton faces Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the governor’s race, while Brown is challenging Republican Sen. Jon Husted. The former president carried Ohio in both 2008 and 2012, but the state has backed Trump in his three presidential campaigns. Fox News Digital contacted the White House for comment on Obama’s remarks. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

Second Amendment fight moves beyond guns with Supreme Court poised for big ruling

Second Amendment fight moves beyond guns with Supreme Court poised for big ruling

Two federal court rulings Wednesday extending Second Amendment protections to switchblade knives and body armor have fueled optimism among gun-rights advocates ahead of a major Supreme Court showdown over bans on AR-15-style rifles. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a federal law restricting the interstate commerce of switchblade knives violated the Second Amendment, while a federal judge in the Western District of New York struck down New York’s restrictions on personal body armor. In both cases, the courts determined that switchblades and body armor qualify as constitutionally protected “arms.” The twin rulings come as the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in Viramontes v. Cook County, a case that could determine whether AR-15-style rifles qualify as “arms” protected by the Second Amendment. National Association for Gun Rights President Dudley Brown, whose organization filed an amicus brief in Viramontes, said a Supreme Court ruling against AR-15 bans could influence future legal challenges to restrictions on ammunition magazines, automatic knives, body armor and other defensive equipment. “The interesting thing about both of these cases is that they’re both going to be really decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Viramontes decision,” Brown told Fox News Digital. SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY LIMITS USE OF GUN LAW USED TO PROSECUTE HUNTER BIDEN The recent rulings rely on two major Supreme Court decisions defining the scope of the Second Amendment: District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen — both of which will play a key role in the Supreme Court’s review of AR-15-style rifle bans. In its 2008 decision in Heller, the Supreme Court established that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess firearms for lawful purposes, including self-defense. The Court also ruled that the amendment protects weapons in lawful common use while acknowledging a longstanding tradition of restricting “dangerous and unusual” weapons. Heller recognized that the term “arms” encompasses both offensive weapons and defensive armor. The decision did not address switchblades or body armor directly but the recent rulings relied on its broader understanding of what may qualify as an arm. The decisions also reveal how Bruen ’s text-and-history test could shape the Supreme Court’s review of bans on AR-15-style rifles. Under Bruen, courts first determine whether the Second Amendment’s text covers the weapon or conduct at issue. Because both courts answered that question affirmatively, the burden shifted to the governments to show that the restrictions were consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of arms regulation. George Lyon, a Second Amendment attorney, said the governments in both cases failed to identify sufficiently similar historical laws justifying the modern restrictions. ATF SUSPENDS FEDERAL REGISTRATION AND APPROVAL RULES FOR CERTAIN FIREARMS “Once what you want to do is shown to come within the text of the Second Amendment, the presumption is that the regulation is unconstitutional,” Lyon said. The Fifth Circuit found that switchblades are commonly used “arms” protected by the Second Amendment, citing their historical use for defense and everyday purposes. It then ruled that the government had failed to identify a sufficient historical tradition for the Federal Switchblade Act’s specific restrictions on interstate commerce, which regulated switchblades in a way that differed from historical laws. In the New York ruling, the state argued that body armor was a tactical accessory to a firearm rather than an “arm” protected by the Second Amendment. The judge rejected that argument, finding that body armor falls within the historical definition of arms recognized in Heller. The court then concluded that New York had not shown a sufficient historical tradition supporting its civilian purchase ban. That reasoning could become important in Viramontes, where the Supreme Court is being asked to decide whether AR-15-style rifles fall within the definition of protected arms recognized in Heller. GUN RIGHTS GROUPS CAPITALIZE AFTER JUDGE REVERSES DECADES-OLD RESTRICTIONS: ‘MONUMENTAL’ The case arises from a challenge to Cook County’s assault-weapons ban. The Seventh Circuit concluded that AR-15-style rifles were comparable to machine guns and therefore fell outside the category of arms protected by the Second Amendment. The Supreme Court’s decision could resolve whether that reasoning is consistent with Heller and Bruen. Lyon said the Seventh Circuit improperly treated AR-15-style rifles as comparable to machine guns. “The current case at the Supreme Court, Viramontes, will address that because the Seventh Circuit had taken the position that because AR-15s are ‘like machine guns,’ they don’t constitute an arm as defined under Heller,” Lyon said. “That was just totally wrong in my view.” Justin Davis, director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, said the dispute over AR-15-style rifles is part of a broader legal fight over what qualifies as an “arm” under the Second Amendment. “There’s a major discussion going on in the courts about what is and what aren’t arms,” Davis said. Davis pointed to litigation involving suppressors, ammunition magazines, stun guns, pepper spray and other equipment used for self-defense. “They talk about how the Second Amendment only applied to muskets because that’s what existed at the time of the Founders, but we don’t apply the First Amendment only to newspapers, books or speech in public forums,” Davis said. “Social media, texting and phones didn’t exist at that time, either.” “The world evolves, but the core fundamental rights never change,” Davis continued.

Bush dynasty delivers another blow to GOP in Texas Senate battle as family member breaks ranks

Bush dynasty delivers another blow to GOP in Texas Senate battle as family member breaks ranks

Another member of the Bush family dynasty, Neil Bush, is throwing his weight behind Texas Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico, saying he voted against a political style he believes has “damaged our country.” “I have never posted a political message on Facebook, not wanting to offend friends whose views may be very different than mine. I’m breaking that tradition because I voted early today, and I voted for James Talarico for the United States Senate,” Neil Bush wrote on Facebook Tuesday. “My vote was motivated by two things: deep concern about Ken Paxton’s record and genuine admiration for the character and principles I see in James Talarico.” BUSH FAMILY ROYALTY BACKS DEMOCRAT IN BATTLE TO FLIP TEXAS BLUE Bush, the son of former President George H.W. Bush and brother of former President George W. Bush, broke with his family’s longstanding Republican political tradition in backing the Democrat. Former President George W. Bush has maintained friendly relationships with Democratic former presidents, but his relationship with President Donald Trump has been strained since the 2016 Republican presidential primary, when Trump repeatedly attacked his brother Jeb Bush and mocked their mother, former first lady Barbara Bush. “I believe Donald Trump and those who have enabled him have done enormous damage to the Republican Party. I worry about a political culture in which loyalty to an individual takes precedence over loyalty to principle, and where those who hold power begin to believe they are no longer accountable,” Neil Bush added.  “But my vote today was about much more than opposition to Ken Paxton.” Neil is the second member of the Bush family to recently throw his support behind Talarico. Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, contributed $2,500 on Sept. 23 to Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC supporting the Democrat, according to federal campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. TRUMP-LINKED MAGA INC POURS $10M INTO KEN PAXTON’S TEXAS SENATE RACE AGAINST JAMES TALARICO Lone Star Rising PAC is one of the major outside groups spending to support Talarico and oppose Paxton in the closely contested Texas Senate race, according to federal campaign finance records. The younger Bush’s support for a Democrat comes as his brother, former President George W. Bush, has increasingly embraced bipartisan relationships after his presidency, most recently attending the opening of former President Barack Obama’s presidential center in Chicago in June. RNC CHAIR SAYS TALARICO’S GOP CROSSOVER HOPES ARE A ‘PIPE DREAM’: ‘NOBODY IS GOING TO FOLLOW HIM’ Bush and Michelle Obama have repeatedly spoken warmly about their friendship despite their political differences. At the Obama Center opening, Bush even gave Michelle Obama Altoids, recreating their famous mint/cough-drop exchange from John McCain’s 2018 funeral. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, representatives for Neil Bush and the Paxton campaign for comment.