Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) President Tom Schatz issued the following statement today in response to press reports that National Security Council officials were considering nationalizing fifth generation (5G) mobile technology networks:

“I encourage President Trump to distance himself from any federal takeover of 5G networks. Based on the government’s lackluster history of developing and building large scale technology networks, any new effort would lead to wasteful spending, cost overruns, and delays.

“Every member of the Federal Communications Commission has already publicly opposed any such action. Federal Communications Commissioner Chair Ajit Pai said today, ‘Any federal effort to construct a nationalized 5G network would be a costly and counterproductive distraction from the policies we need to help the United States win the 5G future.’”

“The government’s role in 5G is to reduce regulations, push spectrum into the commercial marketplace, and establish rules that encourage the private sector to invest, develop, and deploy next-generation networks. Through development of 3G, 4G, and now 4G LTE networks, the private sector has led the way towards faster, safer, and more convenient mobile technology. Taxpayers should not be exposed to the cost of what will surely be a massive government boondoggle.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.