My understanding is it's intertwined with national security issues. NOAA doesn't have the ability to demand a license from other nations, though there may be some treaty obligations they adhere to.
USG has been trying to put the satellite imagery genie back in the bottle the past 30 years with mixed results at best. I suspect they are slowly realizing that it is a losing battle.
https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-government-controls-sens...