Tell your Senators: Stop the Betrayal. Hold Trump accountable on Ukraine
Call BOTH of your Senators.
Call Script
My name is __________. I am a constituent, and my zip code is _______. I am a member of Indivisible SF.
I am calling to urge Senator [Padilla / Schiff] to aggressively investigate the recent dangerous disruptions to Starlink and Starshield satellite networks in Ukraine, as well as slowdowns in U.S. intelligence sharing and resupply of anti-missile interceptors.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, the Senator has a unique responsibility to oversee how private tech monopolies interact with our national security. The fact that these satellite 'glitches' put American diplomatic and military personnel at risk during Russian air raids is completely unacceptable.
I am asking the Senator to:
Support the current bipartisan push demanding that the Pentagon's Inspector General investigate whether the White House or SpaceX unilaterally authorized these restrictions.
Use the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction to hold hearings on the unchecked power of commercial defense contractors like SpaceX over active conflict zones.
Demand full preservation of all records and communications between the Pentagon, the White House, and Elon Musk regarding Ukraine's service terms.
I ask that the Senator hold public hearings to review the current status of alliance commitments, intelligence sharing, and foreign influence and investigate why Trump provides aid and comfort to Putin (a war criminal who is arming Iran against the US, among others).
Bipartisan Legislation/Power of the Purse: I urge Sen Schiff/Padilla to join bipartisan coalitions to introduce or pass funding and policy bills that legally bind or reinforce American defense commitments to Ukraine and NATO. Please leverage your negotiating power during the appropriations process (funding the govt beyond November 2026) to ensure we maintain our obligations to NATO and Ukraine.
Background
The "Diesel Deal" and Sanctions Relief
The most direct catalyst for the current political crisis is Trump's focus on domestic fuel costs. Ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, high energy prices—exacerbated by a concurrent U.S. conflict with Iran—put the administration under severe pressure.
Using unilateral executive powers, Trump bypassed a newly enacted bipartisan sanctions law to strike a deal directly with Vladimir Putin. Under this agreement, the U.S. temporarily waived sanctions on Russian energy to import cheap Russian diesel to the global and domestic markets.
The "Energy Ceasefire" Demand: Trump demanded that Ukraine unilaterally stop drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, claiming the strikes were driving up global fuel prices. Zelenskyy argued these facilities are legitimate military targets funding Russia’s war machine and that Russia was continuing to strike Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Withholding Interceptor Missiles: The administration has held up crucial shipments of Patriot missile interceptors. This has left Ukraine’s energy infrastructure vulnerable to Russian winter bombardments.
The PURL Program Stalled: The Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL)—which allows European allies to buy U.S. weapons and transfer them to Ukraine—has faced major administrative delays. Reports indicate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has actively withheld approvals for these transfers. [1, 2, 3]
The Starlink/Starshield "Glitches": Simultaneous with these diplomatic breakdowns, the military Starlink/Starshield satellite network that is owned by SpaceX but controlled by the Pentagon experienced severe performance throttling over active conflict zones. These sudden disruptions crippled Ukrainian high-speed drone defenses and operations and, according to congressional investigators, left allied personnel vulnerable during Russian missile strikes. [1, 2, 3]
Calling for Zelenskyy's Ouster: Trump has escalated his rhetoric against the Ukrainian president, publicly claiming that Zelenskyy "doesn't want to end this war" and stating it is "time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine”.
These actions, collectively, indicate abandonment of our ally Ukraine to provide aid and comfort to Putin.
Resources
Trump’s Democracy-for-Diesel Deal Shames Us All, Tom Friedman, NY Times 10/15 (no paywall)