Trump administration officials, progressively intent on preventing Chinese global technological domination, keep floating the idea that the U.S. government should take a more direct hand in running next-generation 5G wireless networks.
But the notion isn’t terribly popular — not even within the administration.
On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr said the U.S. government should consider taking a controlling stake in the European companies Nokia and Ericsson to thwart the global ambitions of China-based Huawei, which holds a leading share of the market for 5G wireless equipment. The federal government could do so directly or via a company of U.S. and private investors, Barr said.